Berries and Cream Tart

Ingredients:

The toppings:

• 4 cups of fresh berries of your choice

The crust:

• 2 sticks cold unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

The Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Adopted from: http://www.marthastewart.com/354026/berries-and-cream-tartlets. 

The Curst:

beat butter and sugar with a mixer on a low speed until just combined. Add in the flour and salt. Beat for 3 to 5 minutes. Make dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. 

Preheat over to 325º. Roll out dough and fit into a pie sheet. Trim the excess dough. Bake the dough, pressing down if puffing for about 25 minutes, or until a very light gold. Let cool completely. 

The Filling:

Heat the milk and 1/2 a cup of the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium high until almost boiling. Whisk together the yolks, sugar, cornstarch, flour, and a pinch of salt. Slowly add some of the warm milk mixture to the yolk mixture. Pour the yolk mixture in to the remainders of the milk mixture in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. After one minute of boiling and constantly whisking remove saucepan from the stove. Whisk in the vanilla. 

Place a plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream, and refrigerate for a least 1 hour or overnight. When ready to use, whip remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Fold the heavy cream into the pastry cream. 

Fill the tart crust with the pastry cream. Top with berries of your choice! 

Cookie In a Cup

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3 drops of vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour (slightly less than full)
• 3 tablespoon mini chocolate chips OR 2 tablespoons of regular chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt the butter in a coffee cup in the microwave. Add in the sugars and salt, mix well. Separate the egg yolk from the white. Discard the egg white, and then add the yolk to the coffee cup. Add the flour and chocolate chips, mix completely. 

Cook in the microwave for 40 to 60 seconds. Check for doneness at 40 seconds. 

Holiday Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

Sugar Cookies:

• 1 cup softened unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract (YES, half a tablespoon)
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cookie Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• sprinkles!

Instructions

Sugar Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350º

Cream together butter and sugar. Add in the vanilla and the eggs. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated. 

Roll the dough out and use your favorite cookie cutters to shape the cookies. Bake cookies at 350º for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies have just browned. 

Cookie Glaze:

Put the sugar, corn syrup, and extract in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water. 

Whisk until smooth. You may need to add a little more water, one drop at a time, because 1 too many drops can cause the glaze to be runny. 

Dip you cooked and cooled cookie into the glaze, let the excess glaze drip off. Put the cookies on a cooling rack, add sprinkles, and let harden completely. 

The glaze will be completely hard after an hour or two. 

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

For Cookie Dough Cupcakes in a regular size click the following link:

Regular sized Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cookie Dough Filling:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 36-40 mini cupcake liners

Cookie Dough Frosting:

• 12 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• mini chocolate chips for decorating (optional)

Directions:

Cookie Dough Filling:

In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda. In a medium bowl mix together the butter, sugars, milk and vanilla until smooth. Whisk in the dry ingredients and the mini chocolate chips. Refridgerate for 15 to 30 minutes or until cookie dough is firm. 

Chocolate Cupcakes:

Preheat oven 350º. Line a cupcake pan with 36-40 mini cupcake liners (depending on batter proportions). 

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add in the water, oil, egg, and vanilla and whisk until completely combined. 

Fill each cupcake liner 1/2 to 2/3 full. Gently press a cookie dough ball of desired size into the center of each cupcake, only submerging the ball half way. 

Bake the cupcakes for 8-13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcake (not the cookie dough part) comes out clean with some crumbs but no moist batter. 

Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting. 

Cookie Dough Frosting:

In a bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth and creamy. Add in the flour, milk, and vanilla and beat on high until completely combined. 

Pipe swirls or dollops of frosting onto each cupcake and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips for a finished look! 

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Caramel Stuffed Spice Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of caramels (14oz)
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 3 cups al purpose flour

Instructions: 

Preheat oven 350º. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon. 

In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar, and salt. Beat in eggs one at a time and then add the vanilla extract. Gradually add in the flour mixture. 

Refrigerate for an hour for easy handling. (You can skip this step if needed) 

Unwrap caramels, scoop out two cookie dough balls about the size of a walnut. Flatten the balls of cookie dough onto both sides of the caramel, making sure the caramel is enclosed completely. 

Place on parchment cookie sheets about 2 inches apart, and bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. 

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cookie Dough Filling:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cookie Dough Frosting:

• 12 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• mini chocolate chips for decorating (optional)

Directions:

Cookie Dough Filling:

In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda. In a medium bowl mix together the butter, sugars, milk and vanilla until smooth. Whisk in the dry ingredients and the mini chocolate chips. Refridgerate for 15 to 30 minutes or until cookie dough is firm. 

Chocolate Cupcakes:

Preheat oven 375º. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners. 

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add in the water, oil, egg, and vanilla and whisk until completely combined. 

Fill each cupcake liner 1/2 to 2/3 full. Gently press a cookie dough ball of desired size into the center of each cupcake, only submerging the ball half way. 

Bake the cupcakes for 19 to 21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcake (not the cookie dough part) comes out clean with some crumbs but know moist batter. 

Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting. 

Cookie Dough Frosting:

In a bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth and creamy. Add in the flour, milk, and vanilla and beat on high until completely combined. 

Pipe swirls or dollops of frosting onto each cupcake and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips for a finished look! 

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Mini 24-"Carrot" Cupcakes perfect for a Bridal Shower

Ingredients:

Carrot Cake:

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup fresh milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:

Carrot Cake:

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl then mix together to combine. Set aside. Beat the eggs in a separate mixing bowl, add in the granulated sugar and the light brown sugar, continue to mix until fully blended. Add in the vegetable oil, fresh milk, and vanilla extract then continue mixing until the mixture is completely smooth. Put in the dry flour mixture and continue mixing at a low speed. Mix in the carrot and walnuts. Pour the batter evenly into 60-75 mini cupcake liners or 24-30 regular cupcake liners. Bake for 11-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one comes out clean with only a few crumbs. (NOTE: if you make regular sized cupcakes, the cook time will be more like 13-18 minutes.) Let completely cool before frosting.

• Cream Cheese Frosting:
• Beat the cream cheese using an electric mixer. Add in the butter and vanilla extract, then continue mixing until well blended. Add in the powdered sugar and mix until the texture becomes smooth. If the frosting is too runny add in 1/8 cup more frosting until desired texture is reached. 

Assembly:

• Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with cream cheese frosting. For the diamond ring i have shown in the picture, you can get them at Michaels or even order them off Wilton's web cite. Place the 24-"Carrot" ring just deep enough so it will stay in place. 
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