Butterscotch Walnut Bars - Butter Baked Goods Giveaway

Christmas is quickly approaching.  Just less than a month, seems a bit crazy doesn't it?   As usual I am getting pretty excited and I have started to pull out the decorations and I have 1 of 2 trees up. Decorating the house with two little ones has extended the decorating process for me and it now seems to take a week off and on.    I don't really mind, more days of Christmas glee for me.

I am also starting to make my Christmas baking list.   Figuring out how many dinners and parties I have, places I will be going, who I can give treats too.  It becomes a very lengthy list.   Have you made yours yet? Do you make one?  If you haven't started myself and several other bloggers are here to help.   Have you ever heard about "Butter Baked Goods"?   It is a cafe in Vancouver and the owner, Rosie, has also put some of her best recipes into this AWESOME cookbook.    It is page after page of drool worthy recipes that will impress any guest at your table.

My bloggers friends and I have gathered together to show you some of these delicious recipes.
I am a bar and cookie girl so I signed myself up to try the Butterscotch Walnut Bars.  What a great combo.   They have a shortbread base and then a gooey top, loaded with butterscotch chips and walnuts.   Delicious.  If you are a butterscotch chip fan these are the bar for you. Check out this recipe on page 116.  Check out more recipes below from my foodie friends.

We are also giving the chance to win.....

A personally signed Butter Baked Goods cookbook from Rosie as well as a delicious box of goodies from the bakery. Prize is valued at $125.

See below for entry.

• Jenny from The Brunette Baker made Butter's Classic White Cake and Coffee Buttercream Frosting
• Meg from Sweet Twist of Blogging made the Butterscotch Walnut Bar
• Heather, The Tasty Gardener, made a Raspberry Custard Pie
• Libby of Libby Roach made Vunderbars
• Robyn from Planet Byn made The Dream Slice
• Brittany from My Daily Randomness made Marshmallows + Smores
• Anna from Hidden Ponies made The Dunbar
• Liliana from My Cookbook Addiction made Chocolate Espresso Pound Cake
• Rhonda from Olive & Ruby made Twice a Week Morning Glory Muffins
• Mardi from eat. live. travel. write. made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies
• Kristy from She Eats made Apple Bacon Cheddar Scones
• Sarah from (Cooking for) Kiwi & Bean made Jackson Pollock Popcorn
• Isabelle from Crumb: A Food Blog made Chocolate Pistachio Pound Loaf
• Jo-Anna from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs made Kitchen Sink Bark
• Gwen from Devour & Conquer made  Chocolate Honeycomb Brittle
• Jan from Family Bites made Orange Pecan Biscotti

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

* Contest open to Canadian & American mailing addresses only and who have reached the age of majority in the province, state or territory in which they reside.

MANDATORY: Simply leave a comment below and tell me your favourite baked treat!

BE SURE to click the widget options below for both mandatory and optional entries because you can’t be entered to win if the widget doesn’t know you’ve done it!

Giveaway closes Wednesday, December 3, 2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Strawberry Almond Tart

I went strawberry picking twice this year.  It was hard not too really.  I left the first picking with at least 4 litres of strawberries and they tasted soooo good. I knew they would not be enough.  I froze over half of the first batch, ate some and then used some for a cake.  I went picking with a friend and we just sat the babies on the side of the patch and they just watched us, played and tried to eat the hay on the side of the patch.  The first picking was also the first time my little one has strawberry.  It was pretty cute.  She just numbed it down with her gums.  The second time I went with my SIL and niece and nephew.  This batch which was another 4 litres was brought to the cottage, eaten by 8 of us in a fruit salad and then made into this delicious tart.

Love local fruit. I am hoping to go raspberry and green bean picking this week. No baking will be done with the green beans, except for maybe a quiche.

I also mentioned I did a cake,  I did my first topsy turvy cake and it was so much fun.   I was pretty happy with how this turned out.  It was bright, funky and fun.   It also turned out to be quite the hit of the bridal shower so my friend told me.   Something I always love to hear from my customers.  This was a gluten free vanilla cake with strawberries and cream icing.   YUM!

Peanut Butter Shortbread

We have just booked our first trip with our little.  Eek!  Can I say I felt a bit of anxiety when I hit the submit button.   Our first airplane ride with a baby,  of course people do it all the time but I am sure the first one is always overwhelming, yes?   Okay Mothers,  give me your tips!!!  She will be just over 3 months old.

It was my niece's 4th birthday this past week and Disney Princesses and Barbies are taking over.  I make her cake every year and a Barbie cake was definitely in order this year.  This was my creation.  Her favorite colour is purple if you couldn't figure that out.

I have never been a huge shortbread fan.  I am mostly a chewy soft cookie fan but over that last little bit they have been winning me over.  Buttery, smooth and just melts in your mouth, I am starting to appreciate what they are all about.  Adding some peanut butter and some Reese's pieces makes it even better.


Peanut Butter Shortbread
(adapted from Scientifically Sweet)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp potato starch
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Reese's pieces

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 300F.  In a small bowl mix together flour, potato starch and salt. 

2) In a large bowl or your mixer bowl, beat together butter and sugar until well combined and fluffy. 

3) Add peanut butter and vanilla and beat on low to combine. 

4) Stir in dry mixture and reese's pieces until it all comes together to form a dough. 

5) Press into a 9 inch tart pan.  Pressing in a few more reese's pieces on top.  Refrigerate the dough for approx. 10 minutes. 

6) Prick the top of the dough with a fork .  Bake for about 30 minutes, until it looks evenly golden.   Let cool in pan before slicing. 

Millionaires Espresso Shortbread

Okay so I completely dropped the ball this week. AGAIN.  It took me way to long to get this post out.  In fairness the last week was very busy, I tried to get the post out before Wednesday because from Thursday - Sunday I was barely home or had a house full of guests.  All of which I will get into in the next post.  For now, get gooey.

Do you ever get so excited about wanting to do a recipe that you don't properly read the ingredients.  This happened with these bars.  I turned a single batch into a double batch due to lack of reading,  oops!


Millionaires Espresso Shortbread
(Adapted from Nigella Lawson's - Domestic Goddess)

INGREDIENTS:

• 325g unsalted butter (for shortbread)
• 2/3 cup fine granulated sugar
• 400g unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 tsp espresso powder
• 500g sweetened condensed milk
• 6 tbsp corn syrup
• 300g unsalted butter (caramel sauce)
• 300g dark chocolate pieces. 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the flour, espresso powder and sugar in a large bowl.  

2) Blend in butter with your hands until incorporated and slightly crumbly.  Press into a 9x13 pan.

3) Bake shortbread for 5 minutes. then reduce oven temp to 300F and bake for approx. 40 min.  Edges will be golden and no longer doughy. Remove from oven and let cool. 

4) Melt butter in a large bowl, mix in corn syrup and condensed milk and whisk together well.  

The original recipe called for microwaving the mixture for 6-7 minutes, stirring every minute or so to prevent burning.  This did not work for me.  I recommend this....

5) Place the bowl over a pot with simmering water, using the double boiler method.  This method will take about 2 hours for the condensed milk to thicken and darken.   Let cool and sit once darkened. 

6) Pour this mixture over the shortbread and allow to set, in fridge or counter. 

7) Melt the chocolate in a large bowl also over a double boiler and pour this mixture over the caramel layer.  Spread with an offset spatula and let set and cool.   

8) Slice into squares.   

These are very gooey.  Although insanely yummy I would want to use a different caramel filling so that it would be harder and not so gooey as serving these can become tricky.    I did love the addition of the espresso in the shortbread,  it paired so well with the caramel and chocolate.

MEG's RATING : D-EEEE-LICIOUS!

This post was added to Crazy for Crust - Crazy Sweet Tuesdays!

12 Days of Cookies - Day 10 - Maple Walnut Shortbread

 I love the work week leading up to Christmas.  The office is half empty, everyone takes long lunches, restaurants are packed and everyone is struggling to be productive.   Monday starts off a little strong but by Thursday everyone's minds are already gone, talking about family plans, presents and time off. Of course, I was still being productive, wink wink.  Friday ended up being a half day, so I went home early and baked.

I am on Day 10 and cutting it close to get these cookies done before Christmas but the end is near. All these cookies are also making me behind on 3 desserts I have made for random parties.  I know what I will be doing my holidays.  Also, don't forget there will be a giveaway on Day 12!!

Enjoy Day 10!


Maple Walnut Shortbread
(Adapted from Cusine at Home Holiday Cookies)


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 350F.   Spray a 8 inch square pan with non stick spray

2) In a medium bowl, add the flour, cornstarch and salt and whisk together. 

3) In a large bowl/mixer bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the sides

4) In the mixer running, slowly pour in the maple syrup and beat until incorporated. 

5) Add flour mixture into the butter/sugar mixture 1/3 at a time.  Beat on low until just combined. 

6) Fold in toasted walnuts with a spatula. 

7) Press dough into the square pan, evening out with a spatula or your hands (lightly wetting if needed to prevent sticking)

8) Bake 30-35 minutes until edges become golden.  Let cool a few minutes then cut into bars while still warm.  Let cool completely in pan.

I don't make shortbread very often and now I know why.  I would eat it all really quickly! Buttery, smooth and just melts in your mouth.   I like this one too with out a lot sugar, just pure natural maple syrup.   Has anyone ever tried gluten free shortbread?  I wonder....

MEG's RATING: D-EEEEE-LICIOUS

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Day 9 - Chocolate Cherry Macaroons

A Day of Cookies

So far I am not very good at keeping up with this blog on daily/weekly basis but I am trying.  Here is what happened two weekends ago.   For the last couple years my friend Heather and I get together for a day of baking.  We pick about 4-5 cookie recipes and spend the day baking and enjoying the day together.   The goal is to try and pick cookies we wouldn't always think to make on a regular basis or that may be a little different.  We decided on the 5 cookies below.

1. Martha Stewart's Candy Stripe Cookie Sticks
2. Martha Stewart's Honeyed Almond Cherry Shortbread
3. Coconut Macaroons
4. Chocolate Thumbprints
5. Sugar Cookies

I will tell you now we never completed them all but it was close.   First step was to make the sugar cookie dough so that it could chill for rolling.  While I was making the dough Heather started on the Coconut Macaroons.  We decided to mix it up a little by putting a chocolate covered almond inside, putting our own spin on an Almond Joy.   I also discovered in this process of preparing for baking day that I own A LOT of Christmas cookie magazines, which only means A LOT of untapped recipes. A very exciting finding indeed.   The coconut macaroon recipe came from one of these magazines, 2009 Holiday Baking by Cuisine at Home.

COCONUT MACAROONS

INGREDIENTS :

• 2 cups sweetened shredded Coconut (7 oz)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp minced orange zest
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 3 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped. 

INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Preheat oven to 350, line baking sheet with parchment or silpat.
2) Whisk together coconut, sugar, flour, zest and salt in a bowl.  Stir in egg whites, butter and almond extract.   Fold in chocolate.
3) Drop tablespoon sizes balls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake macaroons (one sheet at a time) until macaroons are firm to touch and lightly brown on the bottoms, 20 minutes.   Let macaroons cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

OUR VARIATION :  Instead of putting in the chopped chocolate, we wrapped the coconut dough around a chocolate covered almond.  We also skipped the orange zest, mostly because we didn't have any.

We did find the batter spread a bit more than the picture but we did double the recipe so it was maybe a bit more runny than it was supposed.    There were quite tasty though.    I would attempt to make these again on other forms and make sure the dough was a bit drier to prevent spreading.

MEG'S RATING: D-EE-LICIOUS!


COOKIE STRIP COOKIES




We decided to move on to the hardest recipe next, which according to Martha this was her hardest recipe in her 12 days of Cookies.   Sadly we found this out and the video on how to complete them after we were all done.   Go figure!  We did not double this batch and thank goodness.  Although the batter looks small you use a tiny amount for each cookie as you need to spread the cookie into a very thin rectangle with offset spatula.   We went through several iterations of thickness and size and in the end, I will give the kudos to Heather who mastered it.  I seem to be useful when they were hot out of the oven and you had to roll them immediately into sticks.    My advice is to watch her video so you can really get a feel for how they look and how to much batter to use.
Recipe and video link :  http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/candy-stripe-cookie-sticks

Martha suggests actually creating a rectangular template to ensure each piece is uniform but we didn't.   Depending on how many you choose to make using a template could take a long time.
It is also tricky to not have a portion of the cookie brown which can make it difficult to roll.  These cookies were cool but time consuming.  Not an everyday cookie but great for the holidays.

MEG's RATING: D-EE-LICIOUS!











HONEYED ALMOND CHERRY SHORTBREAD


While Heather was busy making thin rectangles, I started to put together the dough for the shortbread.

IINGREDIENTS:  

• 1 cup dried cherries, chopped
• 2 tbsp of sherry   (Heather and I used Vanilla)
• 1 tbsp of orange zest
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 2 tbsp of unsalted butter
• 2 cups lightly toasted sliced almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 8 oz of unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• 2 1/4 cups of  AP flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1) Combine the first three ingredients, toss and let stand for 1 hour

2) Make the honeyed almonds : Cook honey and butter in a medium sauce pan on medium heat stirring constantly until fragrant and deep amber about 5 minutes.  Add almonds, salt and vanilla.  Stir to coat completely.  Remove from heat and spread on parchment to cool.  Let cool and coarsely chop. 

3) Make the dough: Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy.  Add cherries and mix until combined.  Add flour and salt and mix until dough just comes together, about 1 minute.  Add almonds and mix until combined. 

4) Turn the dough onto a piece of parchment and form into a 2 1/2 by 16 inch long, pressing edges to shape flat.   Wrap in parchment.   Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.  (Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months) Cut dough into 1/4 inch thick slices and arrange on parchment lined baking sheet.  Chill again for 1 hour.

This is another great recipe by Martha.   We ended up doubling the cherries without doubling the rest of the batch.  I think that only made these cookies better but you need to love dried cherries.  We both do.  
This recipe is also an easy shortbread to put together for those who may have had trouble in the past with shortbread. 





MEG's RATING: D-EEEE-LICIOUS!!!!

We never made it to the sugar cookies so we both left with dough to make them later.  You will also notice chocolate thumb prints in the picture,  they actually didn't really turn out the way they were supposed.  Another batter that spread and flattened more than planned so we didn't really have a good place to put the filling.   I managed to salvage a few cookies for the picture.   Overall it was a GREAT day.   Lots of great cookies, lots of leanings and we had a blast together.