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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Ina's Chocolate Brownie Pudding

photo/ foodnetwork

If you're a chocolate lover, be ready to love this recipe! Ina's Chocolate Brownie Pudding is the perfect dessert for any meal. A soft - warm on the inside brownie, with vanilla ice cream on top.

Ingredients

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish

4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup good cocoa powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean

1 tablespoon framboise liqueur, optional

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

3. When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise, if using, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

4. Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding. Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.

[recipe credit belongs to: foodnetwork.com]

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Anna's Blueberry Muffins

Spin your morning with a healthy breakfast treat - Anna's Blueberry Muffins. Enjoy a delicious blueberry muffing with healthy ingredients like: yogurt, honey and whole wheat flour. Perfect with coffee or orange juice in the morning, or as a snack. This recipe makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup (75 mL) canola oil
1/2 cup (125 mL) honey
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) 2% plain yogurt
1 teaspoon (5 mL) finely grated orange zest
1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (10 mL) baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) fresh blueberries

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin (or 36 cup mini muffin tin) with paper liners (alternately, tins can be greased).

2. Whisk oil, honey, eggs, yogurt and orange zest to blend. In a separate bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Add to yogurt mixture and stir just until blended. Add blueberries and spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

3. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until muffins spring back when touched. Muffin will keep 2 days in an airtight container, or can be frozen.



[original recipe: footnetwork.ca]

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