Off the Beaten Path Cookie Cutters

Go to Off the Beaten Path cookie cutter company to order any type of cookie cutter for any occasion.

Most of us need ideas or patterns for what we would like to create. Just Google words like easter cookies and you will find lots.

Easter Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies for Easter!
Yep!  They aren't just for Christmas any more! Get some cute egg or tulip shaped cookie cutters or maybe some bunnies or butterflies and you are ready to wow you Easter dinner guests.  Sugar Cookies are a sweet and tender cookie that has wonderfully crisp edges. They are an American favorite and although they were once made primarily during the Christmas season, they are now a year round favorite. They are delicious whether dressed simply with a sprinkling of colored sugar or frosted with icing. My favorite frosting to use for these cookies is royal icing which is not the same as the confectioners' frosting commonly used by home bakers to cover and cookies. Royal icing is different in that it dries to a wonderfully smooth and hard matte finish that has long been a favorite of professional bakers to cover wedding and Christmas cakes. It can be made two ways; with powdered sugar, egg whites and lemon juice or meringue powder and water. I prefer the taste of royal icing made with egg whites, but if you are concerned about the risk of salmonella, I have also included a recipe for royal icing using meringue powder. If you are unfamiliar with meringue powder, it is a fine, white powder that contains dried egg whites, sugar, salt, vanillin and gum. It can be found at most cake decorating and party stores or else on-line.


Now, let's talk about which type of food coloring to use. Personally, I like the concentrated gel paste dyes that are sold in small 1/2 or one ounce (14 - 28 grams) containers. Only a very small amount is needed to color the icing, and I measure it out using the end of a toothpick. Make sure to thoroughly mix the paste into the icing as you do not want streaks. You can buy gel pastes at cake decorating stores or stores like Michael's. Or Mangelsons in Omaha.

It is important to bake these cookies until the edges are brown, especially if you are going to frost them with royal icing as you do not want the icing to soften the cookies during storing. Also make sure the baked cookies have completely cooled before frosting.


Sugar Cookies:


3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For Sugar Cookies: In a separate bowl whisk together the salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes). Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth textured dough.
Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove one half of the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch (1 cm). (Keep turning the dough as you roll, making sure the dough does not stick to the counter.) Cut out desired shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter and transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing their shape while baking.

Note: If you are not going to frost the baked cookies, you may want to sprinkle the unbaked cookies with crystal or sparkling sugar.

Bake cookies for about 8-10 minutes (depending on size) or until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Frost with royal icing, if desired. Be sure to let the royal icing dry completely before storing. (This may take several hours.)
Frosted cookies will keep several days in an airtight container. Store between layers of parchment paper or wax paper.

Royal Icing Using Egg Whites:

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 cups confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

For Royal Icing with Egg Whites: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the lemon juice. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.
Or

Royal Icing Using Meringue Powder:

4 cups confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons meringue powder

1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

1/2 cup - 3/4 cup warm water

For Royal Icing with Meringue Powder: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder until combined. Add the water and beat on medium to high speed until very glossy and stiff peaks form (5 to 7 minutes). If necessary, to get the right consistency, add more powdered sugar or water. To cover or 'flood' the entire surface of the cookie with icing, the proper consistency is when you lift the beater, the ribbon of icing that falls back into the bowl remains on the surface of the icing for a few seconds before disappearing.


The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.

Enjoy your cookies! Happy Easter!

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Black Bottom Cupcakes are hard to resist for they taste as good as they look. As soon as I found this recipe in David Lebovitz's The Great Book of Chocolate I knew it was a keeper. The combination of a rich and chocolately cupcake filled with a lovely soft cheesecake center is reminiscent of a cheesecake brownie.

We start these cupcakes with a Devil's Food Cake batter. John Mariani tells us in his book "The Dictionary of American Food and Drink" that the name is so called "because it is supposedly so rich and delicious that it must, to a moralist, be somewhat sinful." It is true that this cake has a nice chocolate color and flavor with a moist and tender crumb. This color and flavor come from using unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch processed in the batter. Popular brands of unsweetened natural cocoa powder are Hershey's, Ghirardelli, Pernigotti, and Scharffen Berger. What I like about this batter is no mixer is needed. The dry ingredients are placed in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. The two are mixed together and you are done. Once the chocolate batter is made it is divided amongst the muffin cups, and then a generous tablespoon of cheesecake filling is placed into the center of each. As the cupcakes bake the chocolate batter becomes a shell for the cheesecake filling. Wonderful hot, cold, or at room temperature.
The name "cupcake" was used differently back in the 1800s. Then the name "cup cake" simply referred to a cake where the ingredients were 'measured' not 'weighed'. It seems that before the 1880s ingredients for cake baking were actually weighed so when recipes started to be given in 'cup' measurements, the cake recipes were named 'cup cakes' to reflect this difference. Greg Patent also tells us in his book 'Baking in America' that a woman named Mrs. Rorer (in 1902) was the first to actually print a recipe for the cupcakes (with frosting) we all enjoy today.
Black Bottom Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, or generously butter or spray each cup with a non stick vegetable spray.

Cream Cheese Filling: In your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and beat until creamy and smooth. Set aside while you make the Chocolate Cupcake batter.
Chocolate Cupcakes: In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl mix the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients until nice and smooth. Evenly divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups. Then spoon a few tablespoons of the cream cheese filling into the center of each cupcake.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until the cream cheese filling is a little brown and the cupcakes feel springy to the touch (a toothpick inserted into the chocolate part of the cupcake will come out clean). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
These cupcakes can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 - 4 days.
Makes 12 cupcakes

Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour
1 cup (210 grams) light brown sugar
1/3 cup (30 grams) natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) water
1/3 cup (80 ml) unflavored vegetable oil (I use safflower)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Once you make them how do you transport them?

Looking for a cupcake carrier? Do you know who is cupcakes best friend? It is the Cupcake Courier a wonderful and stylish little helper that allows you to carry 36….. yes 36 cupcakes all in one go. It have three stack and removeable cupcake trays. It will keep your cupcakes safe and preventing the frosting and decoration from getting squashed under transport. It is invented, designed and developed by Jennifer Gunn. A mother of two who needed a safely way to transport cupcakes to her children’s parties and school gatherings. Go to Amazon.com and find one. Cupcake Courier Cupcake Caddy - 3 levels - White by Cupcake Courier ~ Buy new: $38.75  Enjoy!

It's a Cupcake, Cupcake!

It's a Cup Cake, Cupcake!

Making cupcakes can be fun, but there are a few tips that will help so I have included them below.
Cupcake Baking Tips:

• Every pan, liner, and oven are different so you should monitor your first batch of cupcakes closely. Check after 10 minutes of baking time to insure that your cupcakes are cooking evenly. You may need to turn the cupcakes halfway through baking time to guarantee even baking if your oven cooks faster towards the rear of the oven.
• Do not overfill your liners. Filling liners 1/2 to 2/3 full is plenty for regular size cupcakes. If you overfill, the batter will spill out on top of the pan, and you will have a sticky, gooey mess to clean up.
• Bake all of our cupcake recipes on the middle rack of your oven unless otherwise noted.
• It is a personal decision whether or not to use cupcake liners when you prepare cupcake recipes. If not using liners, you will need to butter and flour the individual sections of your cupcake pans. Store bought sprays that combine butter and flour work well for this purpose. Even if you use this type of spray, you still run the risk of having your beautiful cupcakes stick to the edges of the cooking pan.

• Cupcake liners are inexpensive and easy to use. They not only make cleanup easier, but they add to the decoration of your cupcakes. You may use paper or foil cupcake liners. The choice is yours.

Insanely Good Devil's Food Cupcakes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 cup hot water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

2.Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.

3.Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Check to see how done they are with a toothpick, (done when it comes out clean). Do not over bake! Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

4.To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and garnish with chocolate curls just before serving.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Chocolate Curls, for decorating (optional)
Ingredients:
Makes 4 cups

• 1 pound good-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

• 2 1/3 cups heavy cream

• 1/4 cup corn syrup

Directions

1. Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Bring cream and corn syrup just to a simmer over medium-high heat; pour mixture over chocolate. Let stand, without stirring, until chocolate begins to melt.

2. Beginning near the center and working outward, stir melted chocolate into cream until mixture is combined and smooth (do not overstir).

3. Refrigerate, stirring every 5 minutes, until frosting just barely begins to hold its shape and is slightly lighter in color. Use immediately (ganache will continue to thicken after you stop stirring).

Happy New Year and Substitution Chart

Happy New Year everyone and grab a cup of Joe or something hot and lets talk about what to do if you dont have a certain key ingredient when you decide to whip something up. I have created a chart that might just help.

FOOD SUBSTITUTIONS CHART

Always use ingredients a recipe does call for when you can BUT

if you must substitute these substitutions will help!

It has happened to the best of us! In the middle of preparing a recipe one discovers the brown sugar canister is empty or there is simply not enough of one ingredient. When you are in a pinch this helpful chart can save a cake or whatever recipe you are preparing!

1 cup all-purpose flour = 1 cup plus 2 tablespoon cake flour

1 cup cake flour = 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup self-rising flour = 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar.

1 tablespoon cornstarch = 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

1 tablespoon tapioca = 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

1 package active dry yeast = 2 1/4 teaspoons dry or 1 package compressed yeast.

1 cup dry bread crumbs = 3/4 cup cracker crumbs.

1 cup packed brown sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar or 2 cups powdered sugar, plus 1 tablespoon molasses.

1 cup honey = 1 1/4 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid or 1 cup corn syrup or molasses.

1 cup milk = 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water

1 cup buttermilk or sour milk = 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus sweet milk to equal 1 cup.

1 cup heavy cream = 3/4 cup skim milk plus 1/3 cup butter.

1 cup sour cream = 7/8 cup sour milk plus 3 tablespoons butter.

1 cup yogurt = 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk.

1 cup whipping cream, whipped = 2 cups whipped dessert topping.

2 large eggs = 3 small eggs.

1 egg = 2 egg yolks (for custards).

1 egg = 2 egg yolks plus 1 tablespoon water (for cookies).

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate = 3 tablespoons baking cocoa plus 1 tablespoon shortening, butter or margarine.

1 ounce semisweet chocolate = 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tablespoon sugar.

1 cup catsup; ketchup = 1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons vinegar.

1 tablespoon prepared mustard = 1 teaspoon dry mustard.

1 teaspoon lemon juice = 1 teaspoon vinegar.

1 cup wine = 1 cup apple juice, apple cider, chicken or beef broth.

1 clove of garlic = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or 1/8 teaspoon instant minced garlic or 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt or 5 drops liquid garlic.

1 medium onion = 1 tablespoon dried minced onion or 1 teaspoon onion powder.

1 tablespoon fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon dried herbs or 1/4 teaspoon powdered herbs.

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley = 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes.

1 cup canned tomatoes = About 1 1/3 cups chopped tomato, simmered for 10 minutes.

1 cup tomato juice = 1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water.

1 pound fresh mushrooms = 6 ounces canned mushrooms.
If you need to trim fat from your diet to control your cholesterol count or your measurements, you can still keep food exciting. Try these trimming tips for replacing favorite, fat-dense holiday ingredients with lower-fat alternatives.

Instead Of Use This:

1 cup of butter in baking 1 cup applesauce

8 ounces of cream cheese 8 ounces of yogurt cheese

1 cup crème fraiche 1 cup yogurt cheese made from low fat or nonfat yogurt

1 cup heavy cream (in recipes, not for whipping) 2 teaspoons cornstarch or 1 tablespoon flour whisked into 1 cup nonfat milk

1 cup sour cream 1 cup low fat cottage cheese + 2 tablespoons skim milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup fat for sautéing 4 cups low fat stock, fruit juice or wine and sauté until liquid evaporates

1 egg

2 egg whites


1 cup oil or fat for basting 1 cup fruit juice or low fat stock


Ok, lets face it, it won't taste quite the same but it will be fine. And as Julie always said, "You are always alone in the kitchen, who's to know?"
Happy Cooking in 2010!

Winter Pantry

Having your winter pantry stocked with baisc supplies is so important to whipping up a nice variety of dishes.
Stocking a Winter Pantry


Step 1

Bulk up on protein-rich items. Canned tuna fish, peanut butter, nuts (keep frozen) and many varieties of beans; both dried and canned provide this important nutrient in space-saving containers. Nuts and fish also are rich in healthy omega-3 fats.

Step 2

Pack in hearty, filling staples such as cereals, grains, rice, pasta, crackers, oatmeal, flours, soups and chicken, beef and vegetable broths. Honey, sugars, and natural sweeteners.

Step 3

Choose produce that will last longer. Some fruits and vegetables to consider include winter squash, potatoes, onions, kale and winter greens. Dried soup bases are also good to have on hand. Make sure your spices are fresh and you always have Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Basel, Dried Mustard, Garlic, Onion, Parsely, Black Pepper, Sea Salt.

Step 4

Purchase canned and dried items for cooking and baking. Canned  whole or diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Include plenty of dried fruits, cherries,cranberries,blueberries and apricots.

Step 5

Stock up on baking ingredients such as baking soda, baking powder, corn starch, chocolate chips, nuts and cooking yeast. Cream of tarter can be the "magic ingredient" that if left out simply won't do!

Step 6

Include special "quick" treats for cold nights such as hot cocoa, microwave popcorn, instant pudding and gelatin.

Step 7

Make sure you have plenty of beverages, especially a couple of large containers of fresh drinking water and fruit juices. Sparkling cider or grape juice is nice if someone does not drink wine or alcohol. Of course having a basic wine supply is a must but store them in a cool dark place.
Step 8

Label the spot of each category in your pantry inventory. Place labels to shelves for each category of food item. Enjoy being prepared!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

This little guy has his giant spoon in his hand and is looking for something good to scoop up and eat! Why not share your favorite recipe for the Christmas holiday with the EFN gang?
Just sign up to follow and you can begin to add to it.
Here is my favorite Ginger Bread cookie.
It came to me through a long time friend Yvonne Witt who hosted a fantastic Ginger Bread house decorating party for a group of women. Her table was set with foil covered rectange placemats that worked as our workspace and plateform for our houses. She had prebaked the house pieces prior to us arriving and had a plethora of icings, candy, pretsels and everything you could inagine to decorate our homes. She also had saved pictures out of magazines over several years and laminated them as examples for how we might decorate our own homes.  It was simply the funnest food party I have ever been to!  Here is her recipe.
Ginger Bread Cookies
Preheat over to 350
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 tsp soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 c butter or margarine
1/3 c molasses
1 egg
3 1/4 c flour
In a large bowl put flour,soda, salt, and spices and mix well. Set aside. In another bowl beat sugar, egg, and butter until well creamed.  Then gradually add in dry ingredients. Cover and chill dough for 1 hour. Using a pasty cloth or lightly floured tea towel on the counter and cut the dough into 3rds. Rollout  and cut into little ginger bread men, bears, diamonds, trees, or any shape you want and bake on parchment paper.

 I have a hand cookie cutter that has a  small heart shape cut out and I place a red sugar cookie of the same size and drop it into the heart shaped cut out and it looks amazing as they bake. You can do the same thing with the bears or ginger bread men.  Cut their little hearts out and give them a red one! Cool well on a wire rack. You may use the simple white icing below or eat em plain!  Fabulous with coffee. Enjoy!
Icing
3 3/4 c powdered sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tarter
3 egg whites
Beat egg whites until firm add cream of tarter and then sugar gradually and whip on highest speed. Pipe onto cookies in dots or outline them. Display on a plate in a single layer. Take a picture and post them here!