Goodies By Anna

Chocolate Covered Raisin Cookies

 

Back to my murder mystery recipes!  The latest recipe is from the Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke, these Chocolate Covered Raisin Cookies are baked along the way as the heroine Hannah solves the latest murder in her small Minnesota hometown.

 

 

 

This oatmeal raisin cookie has an added twist of chocolate covered Raisinets mixed with butterscotch chips and butterscotch pudding mix. The butterscotch flavor lends a nice sweet buttery flavor to the cookie while the chocolate covered raisins are an unexpected chocolatey chewy treat! Kids and adults alike will love these cookies with a crunchy edge and chewy center. Here is how you can make your own.

 

 

You can find the entire recipe here. Start by lining a cookie sheet with parchment or Silpat. Set aside. Preheat oven 350 degrees.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter, dry pudding mix, and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and the vanilla extract. Mix in the baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the flour in half cup increments until completely incorporated. Mix in the Raisnets and butterscotch chips.

 

 

Drop the dough by round Tablespoon full or use a #24 scoop and place two inches apart on prepared cookies sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until cookie edges are golden brown. Let cool on sheet for two minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

 

Mocha Hazelnut Butterball Cookies

 

 

I've been reading these fun murder mystery novels by Joanne Fluke that revolve around a little bakeshop and the bakery owner who solves murder mystery while baking up delicious sweets for her and her friends. The novels contain all the recipes of the different baked goods that the heroine makes along the way. This recipe for Mocha Hazelnut Butterball Cookies comes from the Apple Turnover Murder novel.

 

 

These little cookies are a delicious buttery shortbread type cookie filled with chopped hazelnuts and a distinct coffee flavor. I gilded the lily by dunking the baked cookies in melted chocolate and sprinkling with more chopped nuts and a dusting of sea salt. Here is how you can make your own.

 

You can find the entire recipe here. Start by lining a cookie sheet with parchment or Silpat and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla extract and instant coffee (i used instant espresso), cocoa powder and salt. Add the flour in 3 parts, mixing after each addition. Stir in the finely chopped nuts (i used hazelnuts that I toasted in the oven ahead of time).

 

Form the dough into 1 inch balls or use a #50 scoop. Place on baking sheets about one inch apart (these cookies don't spread) and press down to flatten slightly. Bake for 12-15 minutes until set. Mine took 14 minutes. Move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

For dipping cookies: I used a package of  Ghiradelli Chocolate Dark Melting Wafers melted in the microwave. When wafers are melted and smooth dunk each cookie until coated and transfer to parchment paper. Sprinkle tops with chopped hazelnuts and a dusting of sea salt. Let set completely before transferring to an airtight container for storage.

 

Mini Mixed Berry Pies For Two

 

These cute mini mixed berry pies are perfect for Valentines Day! The sweet mixed berries and the buttery, flakey crust (topped with vanilla ice cream!) are a terrific ending to a Valentines dinner.

 

 

 

The top crust is cut out in mini hearts and sprinkled with sanding sugar. These mini pies are really easy to make, you can even buy the pre-made pie crust if you want, but this homemade crust is delicious too. One double pie crust should be enough for the two pies. Here is how you can make your own.

 

I used this mini pie pan. Spray pan with Pam and set aside. Place a rimmed cookie sheet in the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees.. Roll out pie dough (store bought or homemade) to 1/8" thickness.

 

 

Use the cutters to cut out two bottom crusts then carefully press them into each pan. Take remaining dough and cut out little hearts. Place little hearts and pie pan into the fridge to chill for at least 15 to 20 minutes. While the dough is chilling, mix the filling together. I just cobbled this recipe together.

 

Pie Filling:
4 ounces granulated sugar
2 ounces corn starch
7-12 ounces of frozen mixed berries
zest of 1 lemon
egg wash (1 beaten egg with a pinch of salt)
sanding sugar for the top crust

Whisk together the sugar and corn starch. Mix in the berries and zest making sure that all the berries are well coated. Pour berries into each chilled pie shell, mounding the berries up in the center. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash around the edge of the pie shell. Take a dough heart and coat the back with egg wash and place over the berries starting at the edge, keep overlapping as you go along until all berries are covered. When all hearts on on the pies, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Chill pies for 20 minutes before baking.

 

Place chilled pie pan on rimmed cookie sheet that is already in the oven. Bake for  20 minutes at 425 degrees. Rotate pan and lower temperature to 375 degrees and keep baking until the top is golden and filling is bubbling up between the hearts. Cover crust with foil if it starts to get too dark to prevent burning. Cool pies for 30 minutes before serving.

 

Rosemary Pound Cakes with Rosemary Honey

 

While looking thru the latest Martha Stewart cookbook entitled Cakes, I came across this delicious sounding recipe for pound cake with fresh rosemary and drizzled with a rosemary infused honey. I am always interested in different flavor profiles and the idea of the astringent, herbal rosemary mixed with the buttery rich pound cake and sweet honey sounded fantastic.

 

 

 

After baking this unusual cake I can say that it is fantastic! This cake is best served warm, drizzled with the rosemary infused honey but it is just as good served room temperature. Give this cake a try, you will love it!

 

 

You can find the entire recipe here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 4 1/2 x 8 1/2  inch loaf pans (I used two 9 x 5 inch pans), then line with parchment and grease and flour the parchment (I use Pam For Baking). Set aside.

 

 

Rosemary Pound Cakes: In a medium bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter, sugar, rosemary and vanilla until pale and fluffy, around 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs and egg white, one at a time until completely incorporated. Beat in the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk until just combined.

 

 

 

Divide batter between the pans and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Brush the hot cakes with the Rosemary Infused Honey, then let the cakes cool for 10 minutes, remove from pans and let cool for another 15 minutes before serving. Slice and serve warm with more honey.

 

 

Rosemary Honey: Combine 1 cup honey with 5 rosemary sprigs in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat and let steep until cool, about 45 minutes.