Praline Pecan Meringue Ice Cream Sandwiches Rose's Alpha Bakers

Praline Pecan Meringue Ice Cream Sandwich 'The Baking Bible'

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A quick, easy and gluten free go to ice cream sandwich biscuit (cookie) today. 

I've made brown sugar meringues and meringue ice cream sandwiches before, but it's the combo of brown muscovado sugar and toasted pecans in these cookies that instantly turns a scoop of ice cream into a portable ice cream sundae.

The recipe called for light muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar, my local Woolies had light and dark muscovado on special this week... and I thought I got one of each, but nah I grabbed two dark muscovado's by mistake so dark it is.  

If you haven't used muscovado before, it has a wonderful aroma and unique treacle-y flavour that is unmatched in the world of sugars. 

Start by toasting your pecans, then leave half whole and chop the rest into small pieces.

Muscovado sugar and egg whites are whipped until thick and light, the cooled pecans are folded in. I divided the mixture as this stage and added choc chips to one half... just because, well "chocolate" hello!  

Scoops are put on your lined baking tray and gently shaped to discs with a spatula. 

Baked, cooled and filled with your favourite ice cream flavour, home made or store bought. Rose includes a recipe for 'Rose Blend Ganache Piping Glaze' for topping the ice cream sandwiches, a lovely white/dark ganache mixture that I didn't pipe I more did the "strewn" thing... delicious either way.  

Think of pairing the biscuits with salted caramel ice cream, bourbon banana for a banana foster ice cream sandwich, chocolate (of course), burnt caramel fig ice cream, coffee (not the sweet Vietnamese coffee type, but rather an Italian espresso type to counter cookie sweetness) or just a scoop of classic vanilla. 

The meringue mix can also be baked as cookies, just bake in scooped shape for chubby, light and crisp with squidgy centres.  

Would I bake again? A definite yes!! Loved these cookies, with only three ingredients (or four if you add chocolate) we all need a quick pantry staple cookie. Fabulous they are gluten free.

Would I change anything? Umm, if I added chocolate I would use a darker higher cocoa ratio variety to play against the sweetness... otherwise no.  

How it works... now I've joined the fabulous existing alpha bakers, once a week I will post about what I have baked from Rose Levy Beranbaum's 'The Baking Bible'. This won't include the recipe due to copyright and publisher restrictions however, I will be posting how it went and photos of making/baking the gorgeous baked goods.

Happy Baking :)

The Baking Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum is available from Amazon and where all good books are sold. 

And for something totally different...  Squid ink grisini recipe.  

Dattelkonfekt The Baking Bible

                                           dattlelkonfekt 

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Dattelkonfekt: a German date and almond meringue confectionary (cookie) 

Super excited that I will be joining the fabulous existing Rose's Alpha Bakers to bake the recipes from Rose Levy Beranbaum's 'The Baking Bible'.

Rose Levy Beranbaum is the queen of cakes and an award-winning American baker, cookbook author and blogger. It's going to be fun :)

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How it works; Once a week I will post about what I have baked, this won't include the recipe due to copyright however I will be posting how it went and photos of making/baking the gorgeous baked goods. 

This won't affect the usual blog stories and there will be plenty of cupcakes, chocolate and sugar still to come.

Today is my first entry 'Dattelkonfekt'... ummm, can't pronounce that at all...and I'm sugar rushing from too many morning dattlelkonfekt but here goes ....

I needed dates and the supermarket had fresh, Californian fancy eating and a few brands of dried "cooking" dates. I went with Trident a Turkish grown date that is fairly "dry" as I thought this wouldn't add too much moisture to the meringue. 

I started with processing almonds, dates and then it was time to make the meringue. 

Rose's books are meticulously detailed to assist perfect baking, for example egg whites could be measured by "3 egg whites" or in imperial or metric weights. I went with metric.

Interesting meringue method as it isn't taken to stiff peaks, after the dates and almonds were mixed into the meringue I filled a disposable pastry bag a third full and snipped the bottom ready to begin piping. I didn't use an icing/pastry tip as the mixture felt thick enough to pipe without one.

There was the option to pipe the meringues onto oblaten a thin edible wheat based wafer that you may have come across before on the base of your Christmas Dutch and German cookies. I could only find multi coloured ones and I thought the cookies would look odd with bright pink and green, so I went with option two of baking on non stick paper lined trays. 

They don't take long to bake and cool, what you end up with is a meringue "cookie" that has a crisp meringue exterior with a moist slight chewy interior... plus the crunch of nuts. 

My step son Daniel and I thought they would be on the cloying side of sweet, with sugar and dates but they are not. When Dan ate his second one he was nodding in the universal "yep, these are good" way. I thought they were nice, perhaps a still a little sweet for me. 

Would I bake again: Yes

Would I make any changes: Yes, I'd add ground cardamom to pair with coffee after Indian food, Turkish food etc. Maybe for Christmas track down those oblaten bases and add orange zest along with ground coriander seeds. 

That's it post one for Rose's Alpha Bakers done.  Haven't been to Rose's site? Real Baking with Rose Levy Beranbaum.  

Happy Baking :) 

Feel like making sugar springs? 

Raspberry Custard Melting Moments recipe

                                    raspberry custard melting moments 

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Melting moments biscuits (cookies) are popular in Australian cafes and loved by home bakers.

Yum, melting moments today; the soft textured shortbreads sandwiched with a sweet filling are perfect to serve with a cup of tea or favourite brewed beverage (I mean coffee, not beer... but hey I'm not one to judge). 

popular brands of custard powder

Now I've used 'custard powder' as part of the flour component of the recipe, it gives the biscuits a golden glow and a slight custard flavour. Custard powder is a commercial product that Aussies and Brits have been raised with, you can replace with an equal amount of cornflour if desired.

Mine have a white chocolate raspberry ganache filling, but they can also be filled with butter cream or even a simple icing. 

Raspberry Custard Melting Moments

adapted from Donna Hay's 'modern classics book 2'

Preheat oven to 160C (320F)

line two baking trays with non stick paper

makes 36 biscuits (18 sandwiched)

ingredients

175g unsalted butter, cubed and softened 

1/4 cup pure icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract/essence 

1 cup plain flour, (all purpose) sifted

1/4 cup custard powder sifted 

pinch of salt

filling

90 ml (3 fluid oz) pouring cream

2 tablespoons of raspberry puree (squashed fresh or frozen raspberries pushed through a sieve)

2 tablespoons of homemade or best quality raspberry jam

1 piece of lemon zest (use a potato peeler)

180 grams (6.34 oz) white eating chocolate finely chopped 

method

Place the cubed softened butter, icing sugar and vanilla in the bowl of electric mixer and beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy. 

what light and fluffy looks like

With a spatula or metal spoon stir through the sifted flour, custard powder and salt. You're just stirring until the ingredients are just combined, excess stirring with cause the gluten to develop and toughen the resulting cookies.

Ok, if your mixture is too soft to roll into balls pop the whole bowl in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to firm up enough to roll teaspoons of the mixture into balls.

Divide the balls between lined trays. Use a fork to press gently on top of each ball to make a indented pattern.

Bake biscuits 15 to 17 minutes until lightly golden. 

Set aside to cool.

Make the filling by heating the cream, raspberry puree, raspberry jam and lemon zest stirring gently to incorporate until the cream "just" comes to the boil. Remove from heat, remove the lemon zest and pour hot mixture over the white chocolate, stir until smooth. Allow to cool until thick enough to spread.

pipe the filling like I have with raspberry or plop on a little like I have with the *vanilla nutmeg

Spread or pipe filling onto 18 cookie halves and sandwich with another cookie.

Melted moments benefit from being stored overnight before eating... if you can wait!!

Oh, I made up gift tins using small blank tins and printed labels on A4 paper. Clip art reindeer from Microsoft clip art.

Goodness, this story is getting longer and longer I'll go before we hear the New Year countdown.

Happy Baking :)

*vanilla nutmeg filling; follow instructions for raspberry filling omitting the jam, raspberry puree and lemon. Once melted add one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. Allow to cool until thick enough to spread. Grate fresh nutmeg on filling before sandwiching cookie.

You might also be interested in making you own raspberry jam

Got leftover custard powder, why not give 'Mum's vanilla slices' a try?

New release Cake, Cookie and Baking Books

Yes, it's that time of year for a sneak peak at the new and upcoming baking book releases.

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Starting with a book that is not strictly "baking", but you know it will include baking as we are talking about much anticipated first book by the brilliant blogger Deb Perelman, yes it's the Smitten Kitchen cookbook. The 336 page book has over 100 mostly new recipes, (with some of your favourites in there too) and hundreds of colour photos.

Oh my goodness don't know Deb's work, then rush over to her blog  ...hang on a sec, stay around and read my blog post first :P 

UK or Australian, our release date is next year. Can't wait? Amazon (US) has the book for preorder now for a October 30 release date  The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook 

This next book makes me smile just thinging about it. Bakerella the queen of cake pops, has a holiday book coming out October 17 aptly named 'Cake Pops Holidays' this title contains more than 40 holiday mini treats. How cute are those polar bears on the cover!! Watch Bakerella herself intro Cake Pops Holidays...

Amazon Cake Pops Holidays 

'Decorating Cookies 60+ designs for holidays, celebrations and everyday' was released this week. Not only do you get the expertise of author/blogger Bridget Edwards of Bake at 350, the book also includes guest appearances by five guest-star baker-bloggers each share a special decorating technique: Amanda Rettke of i am baker, Marian Poirer of Sweetopia, Gail Dosik of One Tough Cookie, Meaghan Mountford of The Decorated Cookie, and Callye Alvarado of The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle. A must have book for the cookie inclined. 

Decorating Cookies: 60+ Designs for Holidays, Celebrations & Everyday

Jeanne Sauvage of Art of Gluten-Free Baking  is releasing her book 'Gluten-free Baking for the Holidays' this month. The 168 page book makes for a perfect gift for gluten intolerant baker on your Christmas list, but I want it to whip up gluten-free holiday treats for friends. 

Gluten-Free Baking for the Holidays: 60 Recipes for Traditional Festive Treats

Moving away from bloggers and onto celebrity cupcakey ladies with your favourite sister act from DC Cupcakes. Yes, Katherine and Sophie have a new book for the holiday season... would make a lovely Christmas gift for a fan or if you are unfamiliar with the girls there is a very good preview of this book on Amazon's 'look inside' feature, you can read the index, see samples of recipes and their signature frosting swirl.  Sweet Celebrations: Our Favorite Cupcake Recipes, Memories, and Decorating Secrets That Add Sparkle to Any Occasion

 

Didn't think I needed another Peggy Porschen book and then she goes and writes one where the emphasis is more on afternoon tea. There is a chapter on sweet treats, one on cupcakes and many more delicious sounding baked goods. *Hint, hint loved ones... I want this book! This book has already been released in the UK market and is well reviewed on UK Amazon Due for release in the US November 29th... note the different cover pic for the US market.

Adore. Adore Thomas Keller. From the 'French Laundry Cookbook' to 'Ad Hoc at Home', Thomas Keller is a rare combination of a fine chef and a fine writer. That's why the 'Bouchon Bakery' being released October 23rd is my one must have this year!

Not from the UK? You may not know who Paul Hollywood is, unless you have caught the "The Great British Bake Off" on cable. This silver fox is strict, a touch arrogant, charming and one fabulous baker. This book is well reviewed and includes a good "look inside" feature on Amazon UK.

Also available on Amazon US How to Bake  Watch Paul intro his book and make flatbread....

 I must admit I'm a bit of a sucker for single subject cookbooks and even though I have no idea who 'Miss Madeleine' is; the promise of these little tea cakes, plain ones, dipped ones, gluten-free ones, vegan ones and chocolate ones was too much for me and I have ordered a copy.  We Love Madeleines Amazon US

Another single subject book in the 'Secrets of Eclairs'. I saw a friends copy of this book during the week, nice. Clear instructions on baking eclair shells, lots of tips, flavours, variations of fillings and toppings. Though, some ingredients such as liquid fondant may not be easily available in some places. This book would suit a more adventurous baker. Amazon UK.

available from secondary sellers Amazon US Secrets of Eclairs

An Australian books rounds out the list; the 'Sweet Studio' by Darren Purchese. Australians would know Darren from his appearance on MasterChef. Watch Darren and have a sneak peak at the gorgeous Chapel st Bakery.

the book is available for preorder from Fishpond (AU) and Amazon US Sweet Studio

Have I missed you favourite new release? Let me know in the comments section or find me on Facebook. 

Happy Baking :)

Caramel Cashew White Chocolate Cookies

caramel cashew white chocolate cookies

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Mini cookies with a big caramel flavour today :) 

I love the Christmas season; minimalists decide there is no such thing as too much tinsel, elegant women don flashing ruldolph pins (there might be Christmas cocktails involved in this), ditto with baking where your famous 85% chocolate fondant will be replaced with more than one can of sweetened condensed milk in some Christmassy treat.

For me, I don't usually shop the commerical lollies isle... but at Christmas if it can be crushed, melted or thrown in whole it's included. 

Today I utilised hard butter candies (Werther's Original) for their unmistakable caramel flavour and Nestle caramel bits, which are new to the Australian market. Oh, plus white chocolate and cashews "just because". 

Nestle caramel bits and Werther's Original butter candies

Caramel Cashew White Chocolate Mini Cookies 

makes 4 to 5 dozen, plenty to pack up for Christmas gift giving

Ingredients

1 cup of Nestle caramel bits (caramel choc chips)

1 cup white eating chocolate chopped into small chunks

2 Werther's Original 50gram (1.75oz) rolls of butter candy  *ground to a fine powder

1 cup dry roasted unsalted cashew nuts, roughly chopped

2 cups plain flour (all purpose)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

250g well-softened unsalted butter (1 cup)

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract or essence

2 tbsp water

1 egg

*I thought it would nice to include "bits" of candy, but as you can see from batch one... the candy melted/popped. Batch two; I ground the candies to a powder in the food processor to get the result I wanted. 

 Method

Preheat the oven to 180C (360F).

Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl.·

In a mixer, cream the butter and the three types of sugar. Add the vanilla extract, water and egg. Beat together until just incorporated.

Beat in the flour mixture until just combined.

Stir in the crushed/powdered candies, chocolate chunks, caramel bits, cashews. Drop small teaspoons of the mixture, well spaced, on to non-stick baking parchment.

 

Three types of sugar used, dark brown, light brown and granulated white, you can replace dark with light if you can't find any at your local store.

Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden around the edges. Cool on tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Happy Baking :) 

You might also be interested in brown sugar and making your own 

Stamped Sugar Cookies

camomile & honey cupcake, honey frosting, fondant flowers & stamped honey cookie winnie the pooh topper.

I'm still playing with my "new toys" from yesterdays post. The first batch of stamped cookies I made last week weren't successful; I "lost" the faces, they slowly faded away on baking. Now I have that problem sorted out by reducing the baking powder and by chilling the stamped cookies in the freezer before baking.

Making stamped cookies; I've adapted my cookies from a Martha Stewart recipe for sugar cookies, but you could use your favourite sugar cookie recipe and reduce or even omit the baking powder. 

Stamped Honey Sugar Cookies

Makes about 40

Ingredients

• 2 cups sifted plain flour (all-purpose) flour

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 tablespoon of *honey 

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside.

2. In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg & honey beat until smooth, 1 minute.

3. Add reserved flour mixture, and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Stir in vanilla. Wrap dough in plastic, and refrigerate for about 45 minutes.

4. Position two racks in oven; preheat oven to 160 celsius (325 degrees). Line two baking trays with baking paper or a non-stick baking mat; set aside.

5. On a well-floured work surface, roll out chilled dough to 0.3 cm (1/8 inch) thick. If using a 2 piece cutters like mine, cut out the outline shape. With a metal spatula, transfer whole cookies to the prepared baking trays. Stamp each cookie, with enough pressure to create a fairly deep imprint. If using a one piece stamp/cutter, press and cut your shapes and transfer cookies to prepared baking trays.

6. Transfer baking tray to the freezer, and chill until cookie dough is firm, about 15 minutes. Place the baking tray in the oven, and bake cookies for 6 to 8 minutes. 

7. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes, and then use a metal spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

* If using your cookies as cupcake toppers, frost your cupcakes as per usual and just before serving add your cookie toppers. 

*I used honey in these cookies, when you are baking with honey you will  notice your baked goods will brown more quickly... keep an eye on them, particularly if your stamped cookie has small protruding parts like ears. 

Happy Baking :) 

P.S Thank you Angela!!! I love these cutters!

Dan's "just hell" Cookies

Dan's "just hell" mudslide cookies

I had to laugh when I overheard Daniel talking to his Mum on the phone giving her suggestions about what would be a good recipe to try out in her brand new mixer. It went like this "NO! not the mudslide cookies Mum, they taste amazing but it's like hell making them, just hell!!"

I don't know about the "hell" part, but Daniel sure makes a decadent cookie with his adaptation of Martha Stewart's Mudslide cookies ;) They're not inexpensive to make due to all the chocolate, but they do make fabulous gifts packaged in cello bags, boxes or tins, also ideal for church/bake sales/fetes.. large enough to sell singularly too.

Ingredients

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

2/3 cup plain flour  (all-purpose flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

170g (6 ounces) 70% or bitter chocolate, coarsely chopped

450g (1 pound) dark eating chocolate, coarsely chopped

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 large eggs

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract/essence

450g (1 pound) cadbury dairy milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

*extra chocolate (optional) Daniel adds any extra chocolate he finds in the house... up to another 450g (1 pound)... makes an extra 1/2 dozen to a dozen cookies all up.

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C (400 degrees F). Line baking sheets with non stick mats or silicone baking paper; set aside. In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a heatproof bowl, or in the top of a double boiler, set over a pot of simmering water, melt together unsweetened and semisweet chocolates and butter; set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add cooled, melted chocolate mixture, and combine on low speed.

Add flour mixture, and continue to beat on low speed until almost combined, about 1 minute. Remove bowl from mixer; stir in milk chocolate & extra chocolate if using by hand.

Using a standard sized ice-cream scoop, drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on baking sheets.

Alternatives; replace some of the chopped chocolate that is added to the dough with nuts. Or do what Dan does and look around for what you can add... maybe crushed peppermint candy, maybe raisins.... probably not a good idea to add the different things in one batch of cookies ;)

recipe adaptation, baking and photography; Daniel Paxton-Zahra