Cappuccino Cookies

These delectable little cookies are the perfect addition to your afternoon cup of coffee! I call them Cappuccino Cookies because they have a slight coffee taste from the coffee extract but a milky taste from the white chocolate chips. You can even forget the cup of coffee and have these with a tall cold glass of milk as your evening dessert. These cookies are so perfect, the flavors mesh together so well! I have a couple of secret ingredients in there that are not so secret anymore, but they make these cookies extra special. If you’re looking for coffee extract I bought mine at Sur La Table. Please, please make these! They’re like nothing you’ve ever tried before!

Yields 16 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 & 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coffee extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Once butter is melted, turn heat to medium and let the butter continue to cook for about 5 minutes, until foamy and color turns to a rich deep golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Let cool for about 15 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl mix your brown sugar and white sugar. Once butter is cooled add to sugar and mix with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Add egg, vanilla extract, and coffee extract and continue to mix.
5. Slowly add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and mix until it comes together. Add in your white and chocolate chips and fold in gently.
6. Sift your powdered sugar into a bowl.
7. Make 16 balls out of your dough. Take each ball and roll it into the powdered sugar. Place on parchment lined baking sheet (8 per tray). Place in oven and bake for 13 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and let cool down on baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool.
9. Store in airtight container.

Note: I baked mine in two stages because two trays didn’t fit in my oven. If you have rimless baking sheets those will fit!

White Chocolate Brown Butter Blondies

If you haven’t browned butter before…do it…do it now! The smell it gives off is so rich and nutty, you’ll want to cook with it all the time. I love brownies but I don’t know what it is about Blondies that is so appealing to me. Actually, it’s probably the caramel like flavor they have. For this recipe I decided to add white chocolate because it compliments the nutty flavor and I added cinnamon because I LOVE cinnamon! Give these a try and I promise you won’t be disappointed. Really, the only thing missing is a big scoop of ice cream on top!

Yields 16 pieces

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup (5 oz) unsalted butter
• 1.5 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 100 g white chocolate (I used a bar of Milka White Chocolate)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8 in square pan.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Once butter is melted, turn heat to medium and let the butter continue to cook for about 5 minutes, until foamy and color turns to a rich deep golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Let cool for about 15 minutes.
4. In the meantime, chop your white chocolate into small pieces.
5. Once butter is cool, transfer to a large bowl and add brown sugar. Mix until incorporated. Add in eggs and vanilla and continue to mix.
6. Add your dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Gently fold in white chocolate.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan and use a spatula to spread evenly.
8. Bake for about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and place on rack. Let cool down completely before cutting.

Romanian Chec Spiced with Cinnamon

Chec has always been a favorite of mine because of its light and airy texture. There’s no butter or oil in this recipe and it’s made with whipped egg whites, so you get more of the texture of a genoise cake rather than a pound cake, which is made with lots of butter. This is the perfect treat with a cup of coffee or tea or as a midnight snack with a glass of milk!

Yields 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 4 eggs (separated)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of one lemon
• Powdered sugar for topping

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whip your egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl cream the egg yolks and the sugar. Add lemon zest, almond extract, and vanilla extract.
5. Slowly add your flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture, alternating with your two tablespoons of warm water. Mix until incorporated.
6. Add a little bit of your egg whites and mix to lighten the batter. Continue to fold the rest of your egg whites into the batter.
7. Pour the batter into greased pan and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Remove from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes before removing from pan onto rack.
9. Sprinkle with powdered sugar once cool.

Romanian Cozonac

I grew up eating Cozonac every year around the holidays so I figured it’s time for me to master this delicious sweet bread so that one day I can pass along the tradition to my kids. I’m determined to perfect this recipe! Thanks to modern technology I used a bread machine for the kneading, but I definitely have to attempt this recipe by hand like my grandma and great grandma used to do. Either way, the flavor is delicious and it satisfies my Cozonac craving!

Yields Two Loaves

Ingredients

• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 oz melted butter cooled
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 6 cups flour
• 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks
• 3/4 cups white sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Zest from one orange
• Zest from half a lemon
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons yeast

For the filling

• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 3 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon rum extract
• Milk (enough to make a paste out of the mixture)

For the glaze

• One egg yolk beaten

Directions

1. Dissolve sugar in lukewarm milk. Add honey, butter, vegetable oil, lemon juice, orange juice, lemon zest, orange zest, vanilla, and whisked eggs.
2. Place your mixture in the bread machine pan. Next measure out your flour and place on top. Add yeast and salt.
3. Turn your machine to the dough setting.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. During the last few minutes make your filling by placing all the ingredients into a bowl and mixing enough milk in to make a paste.
6. Once dough is done, take it out onto a work surface and divide it into two equal pieces. Put some oil on your hands to make the dough easier to work with. Spread dough out into a rectangle the length of your loaf pan and about triple the width. Spread your mixture onto dough. Roll it up and place into a greased loaf pan. If you want a braided Cozonac, do the same process but with three small pieces of dough and then braid them together.
7. Cover the loaf pans with a dish cloth and let dough rest for about 30 minutes to an hour. Right before baking, brush dough with egg yolk.
8. Bake in oven for about 40-50 minutes, testing the dough with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
9. Let bread cool completely before cutting.

This sweet bread keeps very fresh and gets more and more moist if you wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap and store in a plastic bag.

Banana Bread

There’s always overripe bananas around the house so of course I’m always making banana bread. Switched a few ingredients to organic so I feel a little better about serving a slice to my sweet niece Anabella! I didn’t have all organic on hand so she’ll just have to forgive me. At least the dairy was organic.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 organic eggs
• 1/2 cup organic butter (softened)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In a medium bowl cream together the butter and sugar (I used a handheld mixer). Add your eggs and vanilla and mix by hand until incorporated.
4. Add the butter mixture to your flour mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Pour into loaf pan and spread out.
6. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

I’ve wanted to try a cinnamon pull apart bread for the longest time and I’m so glad I finally did. After doing some research on cinnamon roll recipes, I decided to turn one into a pull apart recipe.  The little balls of dough are so soft and chewy and the cinnamon flavor is amazing! If you are a cinnamon roll fan, you’ve got to try this. Besides the fact that it’s delicious, it’s also pretty to look at. But it won’t last long, that’s for sure!  Try it out for a weekend brunch with friends and family and they’ll be so delighted!

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread (Yields 1 10-inch bundt)

Ingredients For The Bread:

• 1 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Ingredients For The Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Directions For The Bread

1. Spray the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick spray.
2. In a small saucepan, heat milk to slightly above room temperature, then remove it from the heat, add yeast and stir to dissolve. (Do not warm it beyond 110 degrees F or you will kill the yeast).
3. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and salt using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
4. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork and add it to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined.
5. Keeping the mixer on low, slowly add the milk until combined. Add the melted butter and mix until the dough comes together. Replace the paddle attachment with the dough attachment. Continue to mix on medium speed  for about 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should mound together and should not be too sticky. (If the dough is too sticky, add some flour. If it is too dry, add a small amount of water.)
6. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place the dough in the bottom and roll it around to make sure it’s completely covered in oil. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let it rest in a warm area until the dough has doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
7. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
8. Use your clean hands to push down and deflate the dough. Remove it from the bowl and pat it into a rough circle approximately 8 inches diameter. Use knife to cut dough into 1- to 1 1/2 inch pieces (about 1/2 ounce each). Roll the pieces into balls. Place the balls in the sheet pan (you will get about 60 pieces in all). Cover the balls lightly with plastic wrap.

Directions For The Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Place the melted butter in a separate bowl.

Assembling the Bread

• Remove the plastic wrap from the dough balls and dip one ball in the melted butter and then roll the ball in the brown sugar mixture, and place it in the Bundt pan. Continue this process with each ball, until you have several layers.

• Wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap. Set it in a warm area of the house for about 1 hour, or until the dough balls have doubled in size and appear puffy.

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the plastic and bake the Bundt until the top layer is deep brown and the caramel coating begins to bubble around the edges, about 30 minutes.
• Cool the bread for 10 minutes, then turn it out directly onto a platter and serve warm. If you have leftovers, heat them in a 300-degree oven until warm to the touch.

 

Tiramisu

I have to say, this is the best Tiramisu I’ve ever tried. It’s so light and the flavor is so delicate. I’ve tasted plenty of Tiramisu desserts at restaurants, but nothing compares to this one. I received it from a family friend a long time ago and tweaked it a bit. Try it out and you’ll see. Your guests will be so impressed! I recommend waiting a day before you dig in because the lady fingers need to soften and soak up all the delicious flavor from the coffee, liqueur, and filling. I’ve made two in the last week for my family…this one’s a winner!

Tiramisu (serves 16)

Ingredients:

• 2 17.5 oz packages Lady Fingers (I used Bonomi)
• 14 tablespoons sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 3 egg whites
• 2 packages of Philadelphia cream cheese softened
• 16 oz carton heavy whipping cream
• 8 oz strong coffee (I used 2 Nespresso long espresso shots)
• 1 tablespoon rum liqueur (I used Vana Tallinn Estonian Liqueur)
• Cocoa powder
• 1 vanilla sugar packet

Directions:

1. Brew your coffee and add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of rum liqueur. Set aside.
2. Place whipping cream in a bowl and whip until it forms stiff peaks. Slowly add your vanilla sugar or add vanilla extract and sugar to your liking. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
3. For the filling: In a mixing bowl, beat together 5 egg yolks with 10 tablespoons of sugar until mixture is white and fluffy. Add the cream cheese, one at a time and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set aside. In another mixing bowl, beat the 3 egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Slowly add 3 tablespoons sugar. Fold this mixture into the above cream cheese mixture. (Folding the egg whites in will keep the composition light and fluffy!)
4. In a 9 x 13 in. dish, lay down lady fingers with the sugar side up. Poke holes in the lady fingers using a toothpick. Take about 1 teaspoon of the coffee and liqueur mixture and spoon over each lady finger making sure each one is coated. Pour half of the filling over the lady fingers and using a spatula make sure the mixture covers all of the lady fingers. Place another layer of lady fingers over the filling. I would recommend changing the direction of the middle layer to make cutting easier. Once again, poke holes into the lady fingers and spoon coffee mixture over them. Spoon the rest of the filling over the lady fingers. Finally, lay your last layer of lady fingers and place them in the direction of the bottom layer. Poke holes and spoon coffee over them. Finally, add the whipped cream mixture on top and dust with cocoa powder!