¼ cup blanched almonds
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 16 equal pats
½ cup confectioners sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 recipe Chocolate-Almond Filling (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Use the metal blade of the food processor to chop the almonds finely, 6-8 pulses. Reserve.
Process the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 20 seconds, stopping to scrape bowl. Add flour, salt, and almond extract and pulse 8-10 times until well mixed.
Roll a rounded half teaspoon of dough into a marble sized ball. Place about one and a half inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake the cookies in the center of the preheated oven until firm but not brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Spread about ½ teaspoon of the filling on the bottom of one cookie, place another cookie bottom side down on the filling and press lightly. Roll the chocolate edge of the cookie in the reserved chopper almonds. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Chocolate-Almond Filling
3 ounces semi-sweet good quality baking chocolate, broken into pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon pure almond extract
Pinch salt
1 cup confectioners sugar
Using the metal blade , process the chocolate for about 1 minute or until finely chopped.
Bring the butter and cream to a boil in sauce pan.
With motor running, pour the hot butter-cream mixture through the feed tube, process for 15 seconds or until the chocolate is smooth. Add the remaining ingredients, pulse 4-6 times to combine. Makes about 1 cup filling.
Fantasy Fudge
My family aren’t big fudge eaters, so I never learned all the finer points of making real fudge — the kind you need a candy thermometer, pastry brush and nerves of steel to make.
This version, found on the back of Kraft marshmallow creme bottles, is a classic. It’s not a true fudge but tastes wonderfully creamy and is super easy to make. Um, except for dummies like me who don’t read directions well and substitute sweetened condensed milk. Three times. And wonder why the heck it doesn’t work.
There area few secrets to getting the best results.
1. Use a heavy-bottomed pan to avoid scorching the milk. If you have a saucepan that has a copper or thick stainless steel bottom, you’ll end up a happier camper.
2. Use the best chocolate chips you can afford. If you really want to be fancy, you can use block chocolate and cut it up into morsel-sized pieces. I had good luck with Guittard chips. If you like it real sweet, use a combination of milk and semi-sweet.
3. Pay really close attention to the time. You don’t have to use a candy thermometer, but if you cook it too long, it gets grainy.
4. Keep stirring. Burned milk isn’t fun.
5. The original recipe calls for margarine. I won’t let the stuff in my kitchen, but you can do what you like.
6. I’m not a nut fan when it comes to fudge, so I left them out. You could add pretty much anything that tastes good to you…some coffee flavoring, mint flavoring, little crushed up peppermint candies, hazelnuts, marshmallows..experiment and have fun.
Fantasy Fudge (adapted from the original Kraft recipe)
3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter (a stick and a half)
2/3 cup evaporated milk (don’t use condensed milk, it won’t work)
1 lb semi-sweet chocolate chips (about a bag and a quarter)
7 oz. jar marshmallow cream (one container)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts (if you want, you can add other fun things)
How to cook it
1. Candy-making goes fast so have all of your ingredients measured out and ready to go. I even went so far as to put my chips in a microwave-safe container and gave them a little softening (about 25-30 seconds). Have a spatula ready to scoop out your marshmallow creme. I’m not kidding here. You’ll thank me later.
2. Line a 13″x9″x2″ pan with waxed paper or foil. I think foil gives it a weird taste.
3. Put your butter, sugar and milk in a thick-bottomed saucepan (about 3-quarts) over medium heat and bring to a roiling boil. Keep gently stirring everything to keep it from burning.
4. Once you’ve got a bubbling boil, set a timer for 4 minutes. Keep stirring. If you have a candy thermometer, watch for it to hit 234 degrees F. If you don’t have the thermometer, four minutes is just about right.
5. Remove from heat and quickly stir in your chocolate and marshmallow cream. Keep stirring until it looks smooth and creamy. Once everything is incorporated, stir in the vanilla and your nuts (or other add-ins).
6. Pour into prepared pan.
7. Cool to room temperature before slicing it up into small pieces.
Ginger Cookies recipe
Submitted by Kelly McCLain
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons white sugar
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Cinnamon Walnut Crackles
Cinnamon Walnut Crackles
makes 2 dozen cookies
2 cups walnut halves
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered Sugar for dusting (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grind walnuts in a food processor until very finely ground.
Add egg, powdered sugar, nutmeg and vanilla.
Process until thoroughly blended.
Let mix stand for about 2 minutes. It will firm up some.
Using a tablespoon, place rounded balls of dough on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for about 13-15 minutes or until light golden brown.
Remove from oven and let stand on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Cookies will appear puffed, but will flatten upon standing.
Remove to cookie rack cool thoroughly.
Sprinkle tops of cookies with powdered sugar.
Easy-Peasy Chocolate & Peanut Butter fudge
Peanut butter fudge:
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Butter
1 lb Powdered sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1. Microvave the butter and peanut butter together in a microwave-safe bowl for two minutes.
2. Stir
3. Microwave for two more minutes.
4. Add the vanilla and sugar and stir to combine.
5. Spread in a greased 9×13 pan and refrigerate
Chocolate fudge:
3 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Melt chocolate and sweetened condensed milk together in a double boiler until smooth.
2. Stir in the vanilla.
3. spread over the top of the cooled peanut butter fudge.
Both the peanut butter and chocolate portions of this recipe are great alone. Sometimes I substitute Almond, Orange, or Peppermint extract when making the chocolate to eat by itself. This recipe is also great for making with my kids!
Chocolate Cream Pots
Submitted by Roxanne Nassan
Mix together well:
1-1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup dry cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Filling:
Combine
8oz softened cream cheese
1 large egg
1/3 cup sugar
pinch salt
Add 4 oz. chocolate chips
Fill muffin liners about 1/3 full with chocolate batter,
then put 1-2 tsp. cream cheese mixture atop each.
Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.
Makes about 18 small cakes.
Chocolate Truffles
BITECLUB: These were super simple to make. I let mine sit overnight in
the fridge and warm up for about 1/2 hour the next morning on the
counter. I used Bailey’s Irish Cream (since it was all I had on hand).
Here are some fun ideas for things other than cocoa to roll them in:
– Crushed potato chips
– Hot cocoa mix (I used a fancy gingerbread one someone gave me)
– Bacon (okay, okay, don’t say it)
Submitted by Wojamo
Below is the truffle recipe I was telling you about. I just wrap up 4-8 in cellophane tied with Xmas ribbon and voila! Inexpensive, decadent, home-made gift. If I want to be “fancy”, I’ll wrap a small piece of cardboard in Xmas wrapping paper before wrapping the whole thing with cellophane and tying with ribbon. The Grand Marnier is the most expensive part, but you only need 2 Tablespoons- so you could just buy one of those $3 “single serving” bottles. Other options that I’ve experimented with are Kahlua and Creme de Menthe. Also good.
Chocolate Truffles:
1 lb. semisweet chocolate (chips)
3/4 cup whipping cream
4 T. Unsalted Butter, very soft
2 T. Liqueur of your choice ( I use Gran Marnier)
Cocoa ( Hersey’s)
Chop Chocolate coarsely (skip if using chips) and melt in double boiler over simmering water. Stir until smooth then remove from heat. In a saucepan bring cream JUST to a boil; small bubbles will just appear around the edge of the pan. Don’t bring it to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat IMMEDIATELY. Add melted chocolate to warmed cream and stir until well mixed. Gradually stir in softened butter by the Tablespoon. When all ingredients are thoroughly combined, add Liqueur.
Pour into a jelly roll pan (any cookie pan with sides will do) and chill until firm enough to mold (approx 2 hours). When set, use a small melon baller to scoop out a small ball of chocolate. Working quickly form into a roughly formed ball. Roll in cocoa and set in mini paper cup. Refrigerate to set. Store finished Truffles in the refrigerator but, bring to room temperature to serve.
Note: This can be a very messy process, so have a wet towel near by to wipe your fingers. If the chocolate becomes too runny, pop it back into the refrigerator again until the right consistency.
Super Burger, Cucina Paradiso
An opening and a re-opening:
– Penngrove’s dining scene continues to boom with the addition of The Original Superburger which opened last night. If the name sounds familiar, it’s a sibling to Santa Rosa’s popular Original Superburger on Fourth Street. The menu’s the same. Hours are 11-8 M-Sat, 11-3 Sunday. A spy who was on the scene last night said the restaurant sold out of burgers within a couple hours of opening. Penngrovers must be hungry! 10070 Main, #A (where the Mexican restaurant used to be), Penngrove.
– Cucina Paradiso, a longtime favorite Petaluma Italian eatery has moved to their new location at 114 Petaluma Blvd. North. Insiders tell BiteClub that they closed the Eagle Shopping Center location after Thursday night’s dinner and carried all their chairs and tables over the bridge to the redone Moreda’s Sporting Goods. Says my source, “They have retrofitted it out splendidly. We stopped in to congratulate
them last night and you’d have thought the place had been open for
months!” Congrats.
Peanut Butter Bon Bons
Submitted by Teena Hardee
MIX TOGETHER:
2 LB BAG OF CONFECTIONER’S SUGAR
2 STICKS OF BUTTER (SOFTENED)
3 CUPS OF PEANUT BUTTER
BLEND UNTIL SOFT. IF TOO DRY YOU MAY ADD A LITTLE MILK TO MIXTURE.
ROLL INTO BALLS AND PUT IN FREEZER WHILE YOU MAKE THE CHOCOLATE COATING.
CHOCOLATE COATING IS TWO BAGS OF SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS. PLACE IN MICROWAVE UNTIL MELTED.
REMOVE BALLS FROM FREEZER AND DIP INTO CHOCOLATE. PLACE ON WAX PAPER TO SET.
TASTE A LOT LIKE REESES PEANUT BUTTER CUPS – ONLY BETTER CAUSE THEY’RE MADE WITH LOVE :o)
Petite Cheesecakes
Submitted by Teena Hardee
You will need:
1 – 2 cans Cherry Pie Filling and or Blueberry Pie Filling (whatever you like on top of your cheesecake)
Blend together well till light and fluffy:
Two 8oz pkgs. Cream Cheese -softened
¾ Cup Sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
Place a mini vanilla wafer into tassy cup holder (mini cupcake holders). Fill remainder of cup with about 1 Tablespoon of cream cheese mixture. Bake for 15 minutes in 350 degree oven till firm center.
After they cool, place two cherries or a few blueberries on top and serve.
Great for parties because they are easy to eat and require no utensils – just pop it in your mouth and enjoy :o)