Lemon-Yogurt Cheesecake Bundt

Hello, I love anything made with lemon and olive oil.  So it was a good start with this recipe. 

My sister was swinging through town for just a few hours, around dessert time, so I needed a crowd-pleaser that we could linger over.  Not too rich or too sweet, but it couldn't be boring!  I flipped through one of my favorite cookbooks and I couldn't believe this cake had never caught my eye!

The pictures really speak for themselves.  Gorgeous, high-rise lemon bundt with a tender crumb, brushed with lime syrup for extra ZOW-ZING, and drizzled with a thick and creamy lemon-lime cream cheese glaze.  I would say it did the trick.  My sister walked in, whipped out her iPad, and Instagrammed a photo of my cake before saying anything to anyone.  Then we could sit down and chat over lemony slabs with tall glasses of milk.

Lemon-Yogurt Cheesecake Bundt (print recipe)
Makes 12 to 14 servings

Cake:
1 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups white sugar
Zest of 1 lemon, finely minced
4 large eggs
2 cups plain yogurt
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Lime Syrup:
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup lime juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp lime oil

Lemon-Lime Cream Cheese Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 to 3 T lemon and lime juice, mixed

Finishing Touches:
Lemon and lime zest
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Generously spray a 9- or 10-inch fluted tube pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place pan on it.

2.  In a mixer bowl, beat oil, butter, sugar, and lemon zest together until well blended, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Add eggs, yogurt, juice, and vanilla; blend well, about 2 minutes.  Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and blend well, making sure no uncombined ingredients cling to bottom of mixing bowl.  Spoon batter into prepared pan.

3.  Bake until cake is set and tests done with a cake skewer that comes out clean, about 60 to 80 minutes.  Cake will have fine cracks on the surface.  If cake is brown on top but doesn't seem done inside, reduce oven temperature to 325 and let bake at lower temperature until done.  Cool in pan 15 minutes before unmolding onto a serving platter.

4.  Meanwhile, for Lime Syrup, in a small saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil.  Let simmer 5 minutes.  Cool.  Poke holes all over cake with a cake skewer.  Drizzle some of syrup over cake.  Let set.  Repeat several times over a 30-minute period.

5.  For Lemon-Lime Cream Cheese Glaze, blend all ingredients in a medium bowl with a whisk or in a food processor to make a drippy glaze.  Put glaze in a measuring cup with a pouring spout and drizzle over cake.  Garnish with citrus zest and edible fresh flowers or dust with confectioners' sugar.

Recipe from A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman

Orange Ricotta Muffins (Two Ways)

Here's a word I don't use too often, because it's goofy and pathetically lacking in sophistication, but in this case, remarkably appropriate: Nummers.

Last week, on Monday morning, we were rudely awoken at 5 a.m. by an automated mass text: school was cancelled.  What?!  I jumped out of bed and looked outside to see if it had unexpectedly snowed.  Nope, looked normal.  We scanned the weather apps, and apparently there was freezing rain and ice.  So we settled back in for another hour or two of sleep.  

I always crave snow days, but I guess an ice day is almost as good.  No snow to play in, but we still get to lay back, eat leisurely, stay in PJ's, play, read, draw, and relax.  It was a great day to make these muffins my friend had just told me about.

The original recipe, from Two Peas & Their Pod, uses regular chocolate chips.  I doubled the recipe, and on my friend's recommendation, put blueberries in half, and mini chips in the other.  Both were totally nummers.  My kids preferred the blueberry; I probably preferred the chocolate, because I am genetically inclined to do so.    

My favorite part of making these, is Step 2, when you rub the orange zest and sugar together with your fingers.  Not only is it sensory therapy - like running beach sand through your hands, but sand that smells like bright, fresh, sweet orange - but it also provides the best finger-licking possible in the entire world of baking.

Nummers.

Orange Ricotta Muffins (Two Ways) (print recipe)
Makes 12 muffins

Muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries -OR- chocolate chips (I prefer mini)


Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, add the sugar and orange zest. Rub the orange zest and sugar together with your fingers.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar and orange zest mixture together until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add the ricotta cheese and beat until smooth. Beat in the egg, orange juice, and vanilla extract.

4. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just blended, still with a streak or two of flour. Gently fold in the blueberries or chocolate chips.  Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups.

5. Bake muffins for about 18-22 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden brown. Let muffins cool completely.

6. While the muffins are cooking, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, orange zest, and orange juice. Drizzle glaze over muffins. Let the muffins sit until glaze hardens.

Recipe adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod

1 year ago:  Red Hot Cinnamon Bread
2 years ago:  Dessert Club - Breads & Spreads
3 years ago:  Blackout Cake

Coconut-Buttermilk Pound Cake

 I think this is the end of Loaf Week.  How did you like it?

I actually still have more breads in the queue to post, if you can believe it, but I think we will take a pause after this one, and catch up on Dessert Club and other goodies. 

This is a great one to end with.  Because even if you are a little picky about coconut, like me (it's a texture thing), you will love this because toasted coconut is a different thing altogether.  It's crispy and toasty and not shreddy-chewy like its former self.  And it's all throughout this cake! 

Ironically, Martha Stewart calls this loaf a "cake", but we found it not as sweet as some of the "breads" posted earlier this week.  So this one is actually more like a bread.  Whatever.  They are all good. 

Coconut-Buttermilk Pound Cake (print recipe)
Makes one 9 x 5-inch loaf

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 T buttermilk, divided
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted*, divided
1 cup confectioners' sugar

*Toast coconut in a 350F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often.  Watch carefully when toasting; coconut can go from browned to burned before you know it.

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Butter and flour a 9 x 5 or 10 x 5-inch loaf pan.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 8 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.  Add vanilla, then eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down bowl.  With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with two 1/2 cup additions buttermilk, and beat until combined.  With a rubber spatula, fold in 1 1/4 cups coconut.

2.  Transfer batter to pan and bake until a skewer inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 60 minutes.  Let cool in pan on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, 1 hour.  Remove cake from pan and let cool completely on rack. 

3.  Whisk together confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 T buttermilk.  Drizzle over cake and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup coconut.

Recipe from Everyday Food, September 2012

1 year ago:  Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Praline Frosting
2 years ago:  Apple Dumplings with Cider Sauce
3 years ago:  Halloween Sugar Cookies

Almond Bread

 Here's another one that we call bread, but it's actually cake.  I love beating the system that way.  Really sticking it to The Man, you know?  (Though it still shows on my hips, not fair.) 

I do love me some almond flavor, though.  Whether it's almond extract, ground almonds, or in this case, almond paste (wow, yum), I love that heightened fruity sweetness almonds bring to whatever they grace.  This bread is heaven with a mug of European drinking chocolate, or chamomile tea.  Simply elegant.

Almond Bread (print recipe)
Makes one 9 x 5-inch loaf

6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 T butter, softened
2 T canola oil
1 (7-ounce) package almond paste
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 1 T 2% reduced-fat milk, divided
Baking spray with flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup powdered sugar
Dash of salt

1.  Preheat oven to 350.

2.  Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk.  Place granulated sugar and next 3 ingredients (through almond paste) in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes).  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in vanilla.  Beating at low speed, add flour mixture and 1/2 cup milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until combined.

3.  Scrape batter into a 9 x 5-inch metal loaf pan coated with baking spray; sprinkle with sliced almonds.  Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes.  Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

4.  Place powdered sugar in a small bowl.  Add remaining 1 T milk and dash of salt; stir with a whisk until smooth.  Drizzle glaze over top of bread; let stand until set.

Recipe from Cooking Light, October 2012

1 year ago:  Butterfinger Cookies
2 years ago:  Peanut Butter and Chocolate Crispy Squares
3 years ago:  Lemon-Anise Biscotti

Chai Banana Bread

 As you know by now, my stance is that you can never, ever have too many banana bread recipes.  What if the next one is the best one ever?  That's been my experience, so I just keep making them.  Indeed, I think this one may even be the best one ever.  I love it when quickbreads have that shapely rise in the center, stand tall, and cook evenly throughout.  And, specific to this one, I am inclined to thin down the extra chai-spiced glaze with a little milk and drink it with a straw.  Then lick the bowl. 

  
Chai Banana Bread (print recipe)
Makes one 9 x 5-inch loaf

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3)
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
5 T butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
10 ounces all-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, divided
Cooking spray
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp 1% low-fat milk

1.  Preheat oven to 350.

2.  Combine bananas, yogurt, melted butter, and eggs in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed just until blended.  Add sugars; beat at medium just until blended.

3.  Weigh or spoon flour into dry measuring cups.  Combine flour, soda, and salt.  Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended.

4.  Combine cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and allspice.  Stir 1 1/2 teaspoons spice mixture and 1 tsp vanilla extract into batter.  Pour into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack.  Remove from pan; cool. 

5.  Combine remaining spice mixture, remaining vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk.  Drizzle over or "paint" on bread.

Recipe from Cooking Light, May 2012

1 year ago:  Lattice-Top Cherry Pie
2 years ago:  Vanilla-Pear-Walnut Muffins
3 years ago:  Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies

Lemon Yogurt Loaf Cake

Here's a variation on that beloved confection, the Gâteau au Yaourt, only barely more complicated just because you actually use measuring cups, not just the yogurt containers.  And it's a loaf.  But I guess you could make the other one in a loaf pan, I just never have.  This one is lovely, tender, and, for you less-seasoned bakers, reliable.  And one of my favorite features of this, and all quick breads really, is that it can be breakfast just as easily as dessert, or anything in between.  We really like it for afterschool snack - just a little sugar boost to get through homework to dinner.


Lemon Yogurt Loaf Cake (print recipe)
Makes one 8 1/2 x 4 1/4-inch loaf

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp lemon juice powder, optional
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 T finely grated lemon zest
3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Coat a standard (8 1/2" x 4 1/4") loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Dust with flour.

2.  Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon juice powder, if using, in a medium bowl.

3.  Using your fingers, rube the sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl until sugar is moist.  Add yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla; whisk to blend.  Fold in dry ingredients just to blend. 

4.  Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top.  Bake until top of cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes.  Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Invert onto rack; let cool completely.

5.  Optional - I also made a simple lemon glaze to drizzle over - whisk about 1/3 cup powdered sugar, and about 1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice until a good drizzle consistency - pour over cake and let set.

Recipe from Bon Appétit, May 2012

1 year ago:  My Big Fat Bumpy Life Cake
2 years ago:  Apple Pie Bars
3 years ago:  Chunky Cheese Bread

Gingerbread Mini Cakes

Ahem.  Don't mind me.  Just taking almost an entire month to get one more post written.  Looks like the days of being two months ahead on this blog are over.  Does anybody still check it?

Just in case you do, here's an easy fall treat for you.  Fall baking truly rocks, doesn't it?

Of course, we made these in the summer, and served them for a girls' tea party with friends.  We have a lot of those.  Tea parties, not friends.  It's better that way - more gingerbread cakes for us.

These are made with pumpkin, molasses, and all those warm fall spices I love.  When I see a long list of 1/2 and 1/4 tsp of lots of herbs in, say, a dinner recipe, I reject it - too much work!  But when I see a similarly long list of spices, for something like a cake or muffins, I pounce on it eagerly.  Because I know it will be delicious, and oh, so worth it.  As these mini cakes are!

Gingerbread Mini Cakes (print recipe)
Yield depends on mold size - makes 60 mini muffins or 18 canelé or standard muffins

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature plus more for muffin cups
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for muffin cups
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp fine salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin purée
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Butter and flour 18 standard muffin cups or whatever mini cake mold you are using.  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.  In a medium bowl, beat granulated sugar and butter with a wooden spoon, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Whisk in pumpkin purée until smooth, then whisk in molasses, eggs, and buttermilk.  Add to flour mixture in 3 additions, stirring well to combine.

2.  Divide batter among muffin cups.  Bake until puffed and set, 35 minutes (12-14 for mini muffins), rotating pans halfway through.  Let cool completely in pans on wire racks. 

3.  Whisk together confectioners' sugar and 2 T water.  Spoon over muffins and let glaze set, about 15 minutes, before serving.  Or dip tops of mini muffins in glaze and let extra drizzle off before setting upright to set.  (Refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 1 week.)

Nutrition per 3 mini muffins:
165 cal, 3g fat, 25mg chol, 156mg sod, 32.6carb, 0.8g fiber, 18.7g sugar, 2.6g protein

Recipe from Everyday Food, Jan 2012
1 year ago: Devil's Food Cake with Black Pepper Boiled Icing (oh, yes)
2 years ago: Sour Cream Muffins with Poppy Seed Streusel
3 years ago: Strawberry New York Cheesecake-Stuffed Blondies

Glazed Citrus Doodles

 My taste buds thrill at anything citrusy.  And if there is a glaze involved, that has zest in it, that much greater the thrill.  Slip a zingy butter cookie underneath, and well, that's a lot of thrillin'.  I took these, and a tray of Chipotle Brownies (wait for it), to the annual family BBQ at my uncle's house this summer.  I liked these cookies a lot myself, but I was still surprised at how much everyone else liked them.  My cousin Aaron couldn't stop the praises (and I didn't try to make him) - he should have written this post.  He said they were so light but still sweet, perfect for a summer sweet tooth.  I almost didn't take pictures - we were in a rush going out the door.  But good thing I did.  Because not even one came back home with us.

Glazed Citrus Doodles (print recipe)
Makes 3 dozen

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/4 tsp fine salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 T grated orange zest, plus 3 T juice (from 2 oranges)
4 tsp lemon zest, plus 3 T juice (from 2 lemons)
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 350, with racks in upper and lower thirds.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, 1 T orange zest. and 2 tsp lemon zest on medium-high until pale and fluffy, 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Add flour mixture; beat to combine.

2.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place, 2 inches apart, on parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake until edges are lightly golden, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.  Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks and let cool completely.

3.  Whisk together 1 T orange zest, 2 tsp lemon zest, citrus juices, and confectioners' sugar until smooth.  With a small spoon, spread glaze over each cookie.  Let set 1 hour.  (Store in airtight containers, up to 3 days.)

Recipe from Everyday Food

1 year ago: Coconut-Filled Lemon Cake
2 years ago:  Cardamom-Lime Sweet Rolls
3 years ago: Death by Chocolate Cookies

Grapefruit Pound Cake

 I wanted something simple, pretty, and fruity for Easter dessert.  And I LOVE grapefruit.  And I couldn't remember the last time I used my tube pan.  So there you go.  After blackberry-mustard glazed ham, romaine salad with pears, walnuts, and blue cheese, curry-glazed carrots, and rosemary focaccia, we sliced this up and served it with pineapple-raspberry-orange rainbow sherbet.  Delightful.

 Grapefruit Pound Cake (print recipe)
Serves 16

9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
5/8 tsp salt
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
6 T butter, softened
6 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
2 large eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
2 T grated grapefruit rind
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 325. 

2.  Coat a 10-inch tube pan with baking spray.  Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt, stirring well.  Place granulated sugar, butter and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time.  Beat in oil, rind, and vanilla.

3.  Add flour mixture and milk alternately to batter, beginning and ending with flour.  Spoon batter into pan; bake at 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes.  Invert cake.  Cool on a rack.

4.  Place juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil.  Cook until reduced to 3 T (about 4 minutes).  Cool slightly.  Stir in powdered sugar and remaining 1/8 tsp salt.  Drizzle over cake.

Recipe from Cooking Light, Jan/Feb 2012

Cardamom Sour Cream Twists

These were a hit at our March Dessert Club meeting - a yeasted sour cream pastry dough is rolled out, sprinkled with cardamom and sugar, and folded multiple times to achieve those flaky layers us pastry-lovers love so much.  A drizzle of cardamom-infused icing tops it off for the perfect breakfast beverage dunker this side of India.

Cardamom Sour Cream Twists (print recipe)

Makes 2 dozen twists

1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup cold butter
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp cardamom, divided
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup half-and-half

1.  In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat in the egg, egg yolks, sour cream, vanilla and yeast mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Place three ungreased baking sheets in the refrigerator.

2.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar over a clean work surface. On the sugared surface, roll half of dough into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle (refrigerate remaining dough until ready to use). Sprinkle rectangle with 4 teaspoons sugar and 3/4 tsp cardamom; fold into thirds.

3.  Give dough a quarter turn and repeat rolling, sugaring and folding two more times (don't repeat the cardamom in the subsequent sugar fillings.) Roll into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Cut into twelve 1-in.-wide strips; twist. Place on chilled baking sheets. Repeat with remaining sugar and dough.

4.  Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

5.  For icing, combine confectioners' sugar, 3/4 tsp cardamom, and half-and-half. Dip twists into icing or drizzle icing over twists.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home by Dessert Club member R.Y.

Cranberry Lime Scones

ZZZZ-I-N-G!

 I'm on a scone kick.  I went a-hunting on Food Gawker and printed off seven scones I think I can't live without.  For starters.

The first one I tried, Maple Bacon Brown Sugar Scones, was such a resounding success that I just kept on going.  These were my second.  And I loved them SO MUCH that I made them twice in one week - almost unheard of around here in the land of Nearly No Repeats.  I've since made a third from my stack, and it needs some tweaking before I share...watch this space.

But in the meantime, I've been reminded of a few scone basics:

• They are SUPER fast and easy!
• Handle the dough minimally - that means no more stirring than necessary and definitely no kneading or rolling.  
• Grate the butter - it's about equally dangerous as cutting cold butter into small pieces, but it gets the pieces more uniform, and thin enough for easy cutting into the dry ingredients.  Plus it's super fast.  Just grate it at the beginning and place in the freezer until you need it.
• Scones can come in any shape - wedge (my preference), square, diamond, round, or really any cookie cutter shape you want to try.  But they do puff/spread a bit so keep it simple.

 The dough here is sweet enough to handle the zingy cranberry and lime, but I do like the indulgent addition of lime glaze, or at the very least, a sprinkle of coarse sugar.  What.  A.  Treat.  The first time we made them, an afterschool snack.  The second, New Year's breakfast.  I think scones are the new cupcake.  You can quote me on that.

Cranberry Lime Scones (print recipe)

Makes 8 to 10

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar (plus 3 T additional to toss with cranberries)
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 T unsalted butter, grated and very cold
2 T freshly grated lime zest (about 2 to 3 limes)
1 1/4 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup heavy cream

Lime Glaze:
2 limes, zested and juiced
1 cup powdered sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 400F, and grease a large baking sheet.  Grate the butter and place in the freezer until ready to use.  Zest the limes and set aside.  Coarsely chop the cranberries and place in a small bowl with 3 T sugar. 

2.  In a large bowl combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.  Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in the lime zest.  Stir the cranberries into the flour mixture.  Combine the egg, yolk and cream, then add to the flour mixture, stirring just until combined. 

3.  On a well-floured surface with floured hands, gently pat dough into a 1-inch-thick round (about 8 inches in diameter).  With a sharp knife or pizza cutter cut the scones into wedges or diamonds as desired.  use your hands to gently shape any leftover scraps into scones.  Do NOT roll out.  Place scones on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden.  Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

4.  For Lime Glaze: In a small bowl combine the lime juice, lime zest and enough powdered sugar to reach your desired consistency.  Drizzle or brush glaze over warm scones and allow to cool.

Recipe from SprinkledwithFlour.com

Cherry Tart Cookies

 I say this every year, but I LOVE getting the December issue of Cook's Country because it always has the winners of their Christmas cookie contest.  Which means new, and usually quite unique, fare for my holiday baking.  This year was no exception.  The $1,000 Grand Prize went to the maker of these adorable, delicious, nice-and-big filled cookies.  The crust is a soft almond sugar cookie, the filling is cherry preserves - get the best you can find - and on top of it all is a crispy thin vanilla glaze that reminds me of Hostess pies.  But of course these are a million times better.  They were easy peasy to make, and a huge hit with Dessert Club, and, I later heard, the take-home-leftovers husband crowd as well.  Yum yum.  Yum.

Yum.

Cherry Tart Cookies (print recipe)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
12 T unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup milk, divided
1 large egg plus 1 large egg white
1 tsp almond extract
3/4 cup cherry preserves
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1.  Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt in bowl.

2.  Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and granulated sugar on med-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add 2 T milk, whole egg, and almond extract and beat until incorporated.  Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture in 3 additions and mix until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed.

3.  Lightly beat egg white in bowl.  Working on lightly floured counter, divide dough in half and form each into 4-inch disk.  Roll each disk into 1/4-inch-thick circle.  Using 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out rounds, gathering and rerolling dough as necessary.  Transfer half of rounds to prepared sheets, 1 inch apart.  Place heaping teaspoon of preserves in center of each round.  Top with remaining rounds and crimp with fork.  Brush filled rounds with beaten egg white and cut 1/2-inch X into center of each.

4.  Bake until edges are lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.  Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely, about 1hour.  Whisk confectioners' sugar, remaining 2 T milk, and vanilla in bowl until smooth.  Brush cookies with glaze and let sit for 30 minutes.  Serve.  Makes about 18 large cookies.

Recipe from Sara Cowley of Winamac, IN - 2011 Cook's Country Christmas cookies contest Grand Prize Winner

Pistachio-Chai Muffins

This recipe helped dispel a misconception I had about chai.  For some reason I thought it was a kind of tea, like black tea or green tea.  (I only drink herbal tea so I really didn't know.)  In much of southeast Asia "chai" is the generic word for "tea."  In those areas, a warming blend of Indian spices is added to tea to make what they call "masala chai."  Since English speakers already use the word "tea" for tea, "chai" became the word for spiced tea for us.  When I looked up what kind of spices go into chai - ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel seeds, cloves, pepper - I realized that sounded JUST like my total fav herbal tea - Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice.

So I got out the box and read the following off the side:

Brimming with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves, a cup of our aromatic Bengal Spice tea is like a trip to an exotic spice market in a faraway land. This adventurous blend is our caffeine-free interpretation of Chai, a piquant Indian brew traditionally made with black tea. Try Bengal Spice with milk and sugar for a true Chai experience.

 So there you go.  I've been drinking chai herbal tea for years and not even known it.  It's the best.  When I put it all together and realized two bags of Bengal Spice were going into these muffins PLUS there were pistachios, it was a no-brainer.  AMAZING!  And they are as good as they sound.  Or even better.

Pistachio-Chai Muffins (print recipe)
7.9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 3/4 cups)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 chai blend tea bags, opened (I use Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice herbal tea, tiger on the box)
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1/3 cup shelled dry-roasted pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 T water

1.  Preheat oven to 375.

2.  Weight or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Cut open tea bags; add tea to flour mixture, stirring well.  Make a well in the center of the mixture.  Combine buttermilk, butter, 1 tsp vanilla, and egg in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk.  Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. 

3.  Place 12 muffin-cup liners in muffin cups; coat liners with cooking spray.  Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.  Sprinkle nuts evenly over batter.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes in pan on wire rack. 

4.  Combine remaining 1/2 tsp vanilla, powdered sugar, and 1 T water, stirring until smooth.  Drizzle evenly over muffins.  Makes 12 muffins.

Recipe from Cooking Light, May 2011