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Chocolate Crackle Cookies
Ever since I saw pictures of Martha Stewart’s scrumptious Chocolate Crackle Cookies, I had to make them. As any chocolate-lover would agree, the flaky texture and beautiful cracked tops, oozing with light-as-air powdered sugar, is irresistible. This recipe uses high quality bittersweet chocolate, melted over a double boiler, in addition to dutch cocoa powder to create a rich, chocolate flavor in the form of light, flaky cookies. Dutch Cocoa powder is different than regular unsweetened cocoa powder. You can find it in many gourmet shops or high-end supermarkets such as Whole Foods. I used Whole Foods’ luxurious Valrhona cocoa powder, imported from France. Valrhona is actually the name of a manufacturer based in the small town of Tain-l’Hermitage in Hermitage, a region near Lyon, France, that produces arguably the finest chocolate in the world. Chocolate Crackles make for a delicious chocolate treat during the Holidays or anytime of year!
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Saltine Toffee
One of my favorite holidays treats is homemade Saltine Toffee. This recipe uses Saltine crackers as a base to make a delicious and easy candy that’s crunchy, salty, sweet and full of rich chocolate. You can be as creative or gourmet as you wish by adding chopped nuts, crushed candy canes, colored sprinkles, dried fruit or drizzled white chocolate to decorate and embellish your toffee. Saltine toffee makes for an impressive holiday gift that any candy lover is sure to enjoy.
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Butterballs
This delicious recipe for butterballs is another fantastic Christmas classic. Sometimes called “Snowballs,” these rich, crumbly butter cookies are rolled and covered in a generous layer of powdered sugar. The cookies are made of butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, flour and finely ground walnuts. The walnuts give the cookies their subtle, signature crunch. Butterballs are very crumbly, so be sure to be really careful when rolling the cookies in powdered sugar. I hope you enjoy this classic and scrumptious recipe!
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Peanut Butter Balls
My Mom’s recipe for Peanut Butter Balls is huge hit every Christmas. Of all of the desserts and candies baked for the holidays, these delicious creamy Peanut Butter Balls really stand out for their exceptional flavor and fun, bite-sized shape. The filling is made of butter, peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar and Rice Krispies for crunch. Once rolled and chilled, the balls are dipped in an irresistible combination of melted dark and milk chocolate, creating a silky and glossy chocolate finish. These Peanut Butter Balls taste like a homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup — but better. I highly recommend this recipe for all the peanut butter-lovers in your life. Enjoy!
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Christmas Cutout Sugar Cookies
To kick off my Christmas baking, I set out to make the very best Christmas Cutout Sugar Cookies. Everyone loves a rolled sugar cookie — a light, crispy and buttery treat that can be decorated in dozens of creative ways. After hearing rave reviews, I started out by using Alton Brown’s revered Sugar Cookies recipe and modified it a bit with a few tips I’ve learned. Alton’s recipe has the perfect texture of dough and is not overly sweet.
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Chocolate Cream Pie
If you are looking for the perfect chocolate pie to bake this holiday season, look no further than my Chocolate Cream Pie. A family-favorite, this deliciously creamy and chocolately pie is a guaranteed hit. Start out by baking a homemade pie crust made with Wondra for a more tender, flakier crust than regular flour. Then, prepare 3 boxes of cook & serve chocolate pudding for the pie filling. Top with fluffy homemade whipped cream and you have a delicious, beautiful and easy pie. A Chocolate Cream Pie is a welcome treat during the holidays when tables are usually full of the traditional pumpkin and pecan pies. Enjoy!
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Apple Flognarde… A Light French Clafoutis Dessert
Apple Flognarde is a delicious traditional French specialty hailing from the Limousin and Auvergne region in the southwest of France. A flognarde, similar to a Clafoutis which is made with cherries, is essentially a puffed “soufflé” baked with fresh fruit. Although you can make it with blackberries, peaches, figs, or blueberries, just to name a few, an apple version is perfectly appropriate for the fall, when you can find delicious native apples at your local orchards. The Apple Flognarde resembles a light-as-air pancake and puffs up when baked. It is slightly sweet and boasts a delicious vanilla flavor, similar to a crepe. The flognarde eventually deflates after cooling, leaving a light and crispy golden “custard” surrounding the baked apples. Served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, this is the perfect light dessert to end a heavy meal.
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Apple Bran Muffins
Continuing with the apple theme, I set out to make hearty apple bran muffins. I love bran muffins in general so I was excited to try making them with fresh-picked apples. For this recipe I used both shredded apple and small apple chunks, which bring a lot of texture and moistness to the muffins. With the addition of flaxseed meal (you can substitute toasted wheat germ as well), these muffins are full of fiber and make the perfect healthy snack. Try them warm with a little whipped butter… heavenly!
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Cinnamon Applesauce
My boyfriend and I went apple picking at Stuart’s Farm in Westchester County, NY, and ever since I have been thinking of creative ways to use the bushels of apples we brought home. With almost 200 acres of trees, we were able to pick a variety of apples — Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Empire, Mutsu, Jonagold, Ida Red, Northern Spy, Black twig, and Baldwins. There is no better way to enjoy hand-picked apples than with a homemade batch of applesauce. Although there are many variations of applesauce out there, I prefer a simple Cinnamon Applesauce recipe, with fresh lemon juice, apple cider, cinnamon and nutmeg. If you like your applesauce sweet, feel free to add a 1/4 cup of brown sugar, however, since the apples we picked were so sweet I really didn’t need to add any. The apples cook on your stovetop for about 25 minutes and fill the house with a warm smell of cinnamon and nutmeg. Use this applesauce as a snack, in baking (as a substitute for oil), or as a side dish with chicken or pork. Delicious!
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Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup
There is nothing like butternut squash soup on a cool autumn day. This recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup is my grandmother’s and it has been one of my favorites for years. The best part about this soup is the addition of zesty apples to add a bit of tang to the soup. You start by preparing your butternut squash and apples (peeling, coring, chopping, etc.) and then roasting the squash, apples and onions on a baking sheet in the oven until tender and just golden. You then add the roasted fruit and vegetables to a soup pot, along with chicken broth and an array of fall-appropriate spices. After pureeing everything, you get a simple, healthy and delicious Butternut Squash and Apple Soup. Serve with a bit of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on top and a slice of crusty bread. Irresistible!
