Toasted Coconut Shortbread

Have any ideas what to bake for this week? I have the perfect and easy recipe for you and the family, a delicious Toasted Coconut Shortbread! If you love coconut, you cannot miss this one - perfect serve with hot chocolate or milk.

Ingredients
1/2 cup (about 1.5 ounces) unsweetened shredded coconut*
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks or 6 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature**
1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (Updated: for unsweetened coconut, the smaller amount; sweetened, the larger amount)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until coconut is light golden, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Cool completely, then grind in a coffee grinder, food processor or blender until coarsely ground.

2. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Mix in salt and vanilla. Beat in flour in 2 additions. Stir in toasted coconut. Gather dough together, flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)

3. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out dough disk on lightly floured work surface to scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter cookie cutters, cut dough into rounds. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps and reroll; cut out additional cookies.

4. Bake cookies until light golden, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week.)

From the Chef:

* I couldn't find unsweetened, so I used sweetened and dialed back the sugar by 2 tablespoons.

** If you’re looking for an excuse to splurge on the good butter, shortbread is it. You will absolutely appreciate the extra flavor as it shows up in this cookie.

[recipe credit belongs to: Smittenkitchen.com]

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Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

photo credit / Superspark

I love this recipe! Because eating healthy cookies can never be wrong and this recipe is prove of it. The mix of bananas and oatmeal make a perfect combination for a cookie breakfast or morning snack. Easy to make and perfect for kids. Made by The Perky Poppy Seed. Makes 30 cookies.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 very very ripe banana
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour, fluffed to aerate before measuring
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1-1/2 cups oatmeal (old-fashioned or quick, not instant)
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in a small dish in microwave, about 20 seconds. Transfer to mixing bowl. Mix in sugars, banana, egg and vanilla.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking power, baking soda and salt. Add the bowl of dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Stir in oatmeal and chocolate chips.

3. Drop dough by tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment (or with a Silpat). Bake for 11 – 14 minutes until set and golden. Cool 5 minutes on tray, then transfer to cooling racks.

[recipe credit belongs to: The Perky Poppy Seed / Superspark]

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Chocolate hazelnut biscotti

photo credit / smitten kitchen

There's nothing better than a cup of hot coffee and a chocolate hazelnut biscotti on the side. This recipe is the favourite of many and you must try it. It can be serve with tea, coffee or hot chocolate. Perfect for kids and family snacks or desserts.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients
1 cup whole hazelnuts, preferably blanched
2 1/2 cups flour, plus flour for work surface
1/2 cup Dutch-style cocoa powder
1 tablespoon espresso powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread hazelnuts on baking sheet and toast about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. If hazelnuts are not blanched, toast them until the skins begin to crack, then remove them from oven and wrap them in clean linen or cotton towel (not terrycloth). Rub hot nuts to remove most of the skin. Set toasted nuts aside.

2. Sift the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder together and set aside.

3. Beat eggs lightly, just until blended, in mixing bowl with whisk or in electric mixer. Remove two tablespoons of egg mixture to small dish and set aside. Beat sugar into remaining eggs until blended. Stir in flour mixture to form soft dough.

4. Divide the dough in half and place one portion on a well-floured work surface. With floured hands, pat it into a six-inch square. Scatter half the hazelnuts on the dough and press them into the surface. Roll the dough into a cylinder about 2 inches in diameter and 12 to 15 inches long. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and place the roll of dough on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Brush the tops of both rolls with the reserved egg.

5. Place in the oven and bake about 15 minutes, until firm to the touch. (It takes 20 to 25 minutes.) Transfer to a cutting board and cut on an angle into slices one-half-inch thick. (Let them cool for five minutes it will made this easier, as well as a sharp knife with a tight serrate.) Return the slices to the baking sheet, laying them on their cut sides, and return them to the oven. Bake another 20 minutes, until they are crisp and dry. Allow to cool completely before storing or serving.

[recipe credit belongs to: smitten kitchen.com]

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Rugelach Pinwheels

photo credit / smitten kitchen

I love baking, do you know why? This recipe will leave you open-mouth, delicious Rugelach Pinwheels. This delicious recipe includes raisins, walnuts and apricots.  All mix in a roller coaster of flavor, try it you will love it! This is the perfect recipe for baking-beginners, kids, family time and dessert or snack. It makes about 50 cookies.

Dough
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups sifted bleached all-purpose flour

Filling
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup golden raisins, chopped
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup apricots preserves, heated and cooled slightly

Topping
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Place cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and continue processing until fully incorporated. Add flour and pulse just until dough comes together. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

2. Meanwhile, make filling. In a medium bowl, mix together granulated and brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts; set aside.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 piece of dough into a rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Spread a thin layer of preserves over dough; sprinkle with filling mixture. Roll dough into a log beginning with one of the long sides; wrap in plastic wrap. Transfer dough log baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining piece of dough. Place dough logs in refrigerator; let chill at least 1 hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar for the topping; set aside.

5. Slice chilled dough logs crosswise, about 1/4 inch thick. Toss each cookie in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place cookies 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Lift parchment paper from baking sheets and transfer to a wire cooling rack; let cool.

[recipe credit belongs to: smitten kitchen.com]

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