Chocolate-dipped Almond Shortbread Cookies

I made these cookies as part of our family's "dessert spread" for Thanksgiving.  Nope, we can't just have pumpkin pie; we need pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake, chocolate hazelnut biscotti, flour-less chocolate cake and SHORTBREAD cookies.  I found the recipe on Cooking Channel and just tweaked it a little bit for my own taste.  These are really simple to make since there are only a few ingredients, and you are able to "slice and bake" the dough.  How lovely.  

Ingredients:

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups roasted almonds, ground in a food processor
• 1 tsp orange zest
• For glaze: 1 cup chocolate chips + 1 tsp shortening

First, mix the flour and ground almonds together and set aside.  NOTE:  If your almonds are salted, you do not need additional salt in the dough.  However, if your nuts are unsalted, add 1/4 tsp of salt to the flour mixture.  Using a mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar together for 3 - 4 minutes on a medium speed until it looks light and airy.  Reduce the speed on the mixer and add the egg, orange zest and vanilla extract.  Slowly add the flour and almonds into the mixing bowl on a low speed.  Scrape the sides every so often to make sure the flour is all incorporated.  When the dough is all mixed, spread a large sheet of plastic wrap onto your counter.  In big spoonfuls, line the dough up on the plastic wrap so it is easier to form into a log.  Use your hands to pat and roll the dough into a log that spans about 2 inches in diameter.  Roll the plastic wrap tightly around the log and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.  

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking liners.  Remove the plastic wrap from your log of dough and use a butter knife to slice 1/4 inch thick rounds.  Place each round a few inches apart from each other on the cookie sheet.  Bake for 13 - 15 minutes until the edges turn golden brown.  Let cool on the cookie sheet for 2 - 3  minutes before removing to a cooling rack.  

To dress these up a little, dip them in chocolate.  Do it.  

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in the microwave with 1 tsp of shortening (microwave tip:  only use half power and stir the chocolate frequently).  When the chocolate is fully melted, but not piping hot, carefully dip each cookie into the chocolate and place back onto wax paper or parchment paper.  These will need to cool for 15 - 20 minutes before they harden.  I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you could use milk chocolate if you prefer.  Enjoy!

Pull-Apart Pumpkin Bread... Layered with Cinnamon-Sugar

I believe this is the only post on my Pinterest recipe board that I have actually made!  And let me tell you, it was so worth it.  This bread is highly addictive; pillowy pieces of pumpkin-spiked bread covered in a sticky, delicious caramel.
Dare I say, that it kicks regular pumpkin bread's butt.

(Recipe adapted from Sunny Side Up)

Dough Ingredients

•  2 Tbsp unsalted butter 
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast 
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin  
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp salt 
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour

Cinnamon-sugar topping

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg 
• 2 Tbsp unsalted, melted butter

NOTE:  I specifically bought bread flour for this recipe; I've read in cookbooks that there really is a difference in the end result due to the protein content.  I also highly encourage the use of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment; you'll be glad you didn't have to do the kneading yourself!

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble and simmer until it turns a golden brown color.  Watch it carefully so it does not burn.  Add the warm milk into the pan and continue to simmer for another minute before removing it from the heat to cool down.  I found that pouring it directly into my metal KitchenAid mixing bowl helped it to cool down faster.  When the mixture is no longer hot but still very warm (between 105 - 115 degrees), add the yeast and 1/4 cup white sugar into the mixing bowl.  Give it a quick stir to combine, and then let this mixture sit for 5 - 10 minutes to "bloom" the yeast.  The mix should look foamy on top after the yeast starts to feed on the sugar.  Next, add the the canned pumpkin, salt, and just 1 cup of flour.  Set the mixer to Stir until combined, then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time.  Either by hand or machine, knead the dough for 6 minutes.  If using a dough hook, the dough will form a heavy ball around the hook, looking smooth and elastic.  The dough will still be slightly sticky.  But if you feel the dough is too sticky, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
Allow the dough to rise by placing it in a large lightly-oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel or loose plastic wrap.  Place the bowl in a warm place for 80 - 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
When the dough is almost done rising, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl.  Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Also, grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.

After your dough has doubled in size, dump out onto a clean surface that is sprinkled with a bit of flour.  Add flour to your hands and and knead for another 1 - 2 minutes.  Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 20×12 inch rectangle (about 1/4 inch thickness).  Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough and smooth around so it is evenly spread.  Cut the rectangle into equally-sized squares (about 2" x 2") using a butter knife or pizza cutter.  Stack the squares one on top of the other into two "towers" of dough, and then place them  vertically into the loaf pan.  Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for another 25 - 35 minutes.

When time is almost up for the second rise, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake the loaf for 35-45 minutes or until the top and sides are a deep golden brown.  Don't be tempted to take the pan out before 35 minutes; the inner squares will still be a little doughy.   Let the loaf cool a little before digging in, but this is best when it is warm.  Enjoy!

Easy Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

This has become my go-to recipe for blueberry muffins; they are light, cake-y and the streusel crunch adds just the right amount of sweetness in every bite.  You can't eat just one!  And if you're K, you will eat seven in two days.  [Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens 75th Anniversary cookbook]

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup unbleached flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg 
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

For the Streusel Topping:

• 2 tbsp cold, cubed butter
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a 12-count muffin tin with paper or foil muffin liners.  Start by combining the lemon juice into the milk; this is the common trick for making a substitute for buttermilk (and it does make a difference for baked goods!).  Then, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl.  In another medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg with the sugar until frothy, then whisk in the milk and oil.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a large spoon, just until incorporated.  Then carefully fold in the blueberries.  For the streusel, cut the butter into the flour, sugar and spice mixture until the topping resembles coarse crumbs.  You can do this either with a mini food processor or with patience and a fork :-)  If using nuts in the topping, stir those in last.  
Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 of the way with batter and then sprinkle with a few teaspoons of the streusel topping.  This is what mine looked like before baking (this batch was without pecans in the streusel):

Bake these at 400 degrees for 14 - 18 minutes; the cook time will depend on how powerful your oven is as well as how dark/heavy your muffin tin is.  Enjoy!  Go the extra mile this weekend and make them for breakfast.