Baked Goods

Butter Cookies

November 24, 2012

Butter Cookies

It’s time to start thinking about making Christmas cookies. 

1 1/2 Cups Softened Butter

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

2 Eggs Lightly Beaten

3 Cups Unbleached Flour

1/3 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/4 Cup Sifted Powdered Sugar (Optional)

Cookie Press

Preheat your oven to 375° F.  In a large size bowl cream the butter and sugar together.  Add the beaten eggs.  In a separate bowl mix the flour and salt.  Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture.  Blend well and then add the vanilla.  Fill the cookie press with 1/4 of the cookie dough at a time.  Press the cookies onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes while still on the cookie sheet.  Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Dust with the powdered sugar if you want to.  Makes 48 cookies. 

Newport, Rhode Island’s Aquidneck Farmers’ Market

August 29, 2012

Newport, Rhode Island’s Aquidneck Farmers’ Market

Last Wednesday I spent the afternoon at the Aquidneck Growers' Wednesday Farmers Market, in Newport, Rhode Island and had such a great time.  I was impressed at how nicely laid out the market was as well as having such a nice variety of vendors.  I had a wonderful slice of wood oven pizza.  Bravo Wood Fired Pizza actually brings an actual wood oven to the market and bakes pizzas all afternoon long.  Here is the link for Bravo Wood Fired Pizza http://www.bravowoodfiredpizza.com/Pages/default.aspx

What I was most impressed with, however, was Olga’s Cup & Saucer.  Olga had an amazing selection of baked goods that is better than most famous bakeries that I have visited.  Olga’s booth was constantly jammed with people buying bagfuls of delicious treats.  I had a chocolate cookie and a macaroon. Both were superb!  Olga’s Cup & Saucer is out of Providence and has her deliciousness in my favorite Providence restaurant, La Laiterie/Farmstead Cheese.  Here is where you can find Olga’s Cup & Saucer online http://olgascupandsaucer.blogspot.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Olgas-Cup-and-Saucer/200452426644338

If you find yourself in Newport on a Wednesday I highly suggest that you make a stop into the farmers’ market.  Parking is tight, but not impossible. http://www.farmfresh.org/food/farmersmarkets_details.php?market=2  Aquidneck Growers' Wednesday Farmers Market

Wednesday: 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM

June 6 to October 31, 2012

Along the shaded walk

Memorial Blvd And Chapel St

Newport, RI

Serving & Storing Cake

August 13, 2012

Serving & Storing Cake

To enjoy cakes at their best, follow these tips:

 

*Allow cakes with butter type frosting to stand for about an hour before slicing. 

This allows the frosting to set. 

 

*For cakes that are filled or frosted with whipped cream make sure to assemble

Them no more than 2 hours before serving.  This will prevent them from

Getting soggy.

 

*To cut your cakes use a thin bladed knife cut pieces.  Run the knife under hot

Water and make sure to wipe the knife dry before cutting the first piece

And in between subsequent cuts.

 

*For storing cakes most cakes can be covered and stored at room temperature

For 2 to 3 days.  It is good to have a cake cover, but if you don’t have

A cake cover then just invert a large bowl over your cake.  If you directly

Cover the cake with plastic wrap then it will for sure make a mess of the

Frosting.

 

*For those cakes that have a filling or a frosting that contains eggs, whipped

Cream or cream cheese it is best to store your cake covered in the fridge.

 

*If you want to freeze your cake then you should put your cooled and unfrosted

Cake layers on a baking sheet.  Freeze them until they are nice and firm.

After the layers are frozen then transfer them to large freezer bags or wrap

Them and seal them in freezer wrap.  They will keep in the freezer for up to

4 months.  Thaw them before frosting.

 

*If you are serving your cake directly from the pan then cover them and freeze

Them in the pan.  Make sure to thaw them before frosting them.

 

A Word About Baking Powder

August 4, 2012

A Word About Baking Powder

Baking powder is a leavening agent that reacts to liquid and heat and creates carbon dioxide gas, which expands the bubbles created by the creaming process, causing the cake to rise.  Baking powder loses its effectiveness after six months to a year.  Be sure to check the date on the can when you buy it or mark it yourself. 

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