Sugar Cookie Star Tree Tower

 This is from the President's Choice Star Cookie Tower Baking Kit.

Sugar Cookie Dough

5 cups AP flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1.5 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together using an electric hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, for about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat together on low speed until just combined. Repeat with half of the remaining flour mixture, then beat in the remaining flour mixture. Use your hands to bring the dough together; divide and shape the dough into 4 discs. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, for about 1 hour, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F. Working in batches, allow the sugar cookie dough to soften at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling. TIP: Remove only what you'll need to bake 1 sheet of cookies, keeping the remaining dough in the fridge until needed.

Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of 1/4-inch.

Cut out 23 stars total, re-rolling the scraps once. 3 stars each of sizes 1 through 7, and 2 stars of size 8 (the smallest size). TIP: Dip the cookie cutters in flour before cutting to prevent sticking.

Group similar-sized cookies together on parchment paper-lined baking sheets, leaving 1 inch beween each cookie. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. TIP: For faster assembly, use multiple baking sheets to chill and bake the cookies.

Bake, 1 sheet at a time on the middle rack until the bottoms and edges are pale golden, for about 12 minutes for smaller cookies and 18 to 20 minutes for larger cookies. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Royal Icing

1/4 cup egg whites (about two)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp vanilla

2.5 cups icing sugar

Beat the egg whites, lemon juice and vanilla together in large bowl using an electric hand mixture on medium speed until frothy.

Add the icing sugar; beat on low speed until just combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until thick and smooth. Add food colouring if desired.

Transfer the royal icing to a piping bag fitted with a medium plain tip (or a zip-top bag with 1 corner snipped off). Decorate the cookies with icing as desired. Allow to dry completely.

Pipe icing on underside of 1 of the smallest cookies (size 8); sandwich together with the remaining smallest cookie to make the star-topper. Allow to dry completely, standing upright to dry.

Pipe a dollop of icing onto the center of a plae or platter. Place 1 of the largest cookies (size 1) onto the platter pressing gently to ensure that it sticks; pipe a dollop of icing into the center of that cookie and attach 1 more of the largest cookies, staggering the points so that the stars are not directly stacked on the top of each other (similar to the "boughs" of a tree). Repeat with the reamining cookies and icing, working from the largest cookies to the secon-smallest cookies (sizes 1 through 7).

Attach the star topper, upright, to the top of the cookie tower using icing. Allow to dry completely.

TIP: You may have leftover cookie dough and icing, but since when is that a bad thing? Use it to make and decorate extra cookies.

Starchies

Another entry in this Baking Yesteryear adventure lol. This time I made starchies. An interesting concept... I was anticipating something like a shortbread cookie. But I was definitely wrong.

Here is the recipe:
1/2 cup (120ml) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup (115g) butter, softened

2 cups (256g) cornstarch

1. Preheat the oven to 325F (165C)

2. In a large bowl,  combine the sweetened condensed milk and the butter. Beat smooth.

3. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, stir in the cornstarch two tablespoons at a time. Mix until a smooth dough is formed.

4. Divide by rounded teaspoon or small cookie scoop, lightly rolling in the hands to form a smoth 2-inch (5-cm) ball. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cookies should not brown. Let cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

I ended up making a x2.5 recipe because I didn't want to have leftover sweetened condensed milk. And doing a x2.5 used up the whole can, and I ended up with 30 cookies. But I wasn't super thrilled with them. The flavour is delicious! But the mouth feel is very very starchy. Hence "starchies" I supposed lol. Z and Adrielle didn't really like them either. I feel like they would have been better just doing the x1 recipe, but still making it into 30 cookies. Maybe even 48. They might be better just being nibbled, rather than having bigger bites from a bigger cookie.

Anyways, here's what they looked like coming out of the oven.

Food for the Gods

Y'all. I don't know if I can accurately describe how amazing this torte is. It's basically a meringue with graham cracker crumbs, raisins, and walnuts. And it is DIVINE!!!!!

White of 3 large eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (60g) fine graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup (75g) chopped, dried apricot (any dried fruit may be used: dates, figs, currants)

1/2 cup (60g) chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 325F (165C)

2. Line the bottom of a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan or pie pan with a circle of parchment paper. Lightly grease both the parchment and sides of the pan.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with which an electric hand mixer is to be used, beat the egg whites and salt to stiff peaks.

4. Gradually beat in the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until stiff and glossy.

5. Gradually fold in the graham cracker crumbs, then fold in the dried fruit and walnuts.

6. Turn into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The top should be a pale gold colour when done.

7. With the pan remaining in the oven, turn the oven off and leave the door ajar for 30 minutes to dry the meringue. After which, transfer to a wire rack and cool in the pan for 20 minutes.

8. Once completely cool, free the sides of the pan with a sharp knife and invert onto a serving dish or cutting board. Remove the parchment paper before serving.

Tip from Yesteryear: Use a springform pan if you have one, as it will allow the dessert to come out more easily, without breaking.

Oh my goodness. I'm not one that enjoys a walnut dessert that much, but daaaaang this one really hits that good spot! It came out PERFECT, and it was a beautiful nutty treat with surprisingly nice mouth feel. It was a pretty easy dessert to make too, fairly quick to get it in the oven. I would absolutely make this again, maybe trying different dried fruits and nuts. I do have another recipe to try that needs pecans, and the bag I'll be getting will be plenty more than I need, so perhaps I'll try this out with pecans and dates. Mmmmmmm.......

Cinnamon Buns

 2 tbsp white sugar

1 cup lukewarm water

2 pkg (14g) dry active yeast

Let stand 10 minutes.

1 cup milk

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp salt

2 eggs, room temperature

6 cups flour

Boil milk; add sugar, butter, and salt. Add yeast. Add eggs. Beat with mixer. Add 3 cups flour, then cup by cup for last 3 cups. Mix should be sticky. Cover and let rise 1 hour.

Roll out on well-floured surface, spread with lots of butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Roll, then cut into 12 even rolls.

Butter 9x13 pans lots. Add brown sugar. Arrange rolls 3x4. Cover and let stand 1 hour.

Bake 375F for 10 minutes, then turn down to 350F for 15-20 minutes.

Take another pan, put on top, and flip.

For 9x9 pan:

1.5 tbsp sugar

3/4 cup warm water

10.5g yeast

3/4 cup milk

3/8 cup sugar

3 tbsp butter

3/4 tsp salt

1.5 eggs

4.5 cups flour

Arrange 3x3

Baking Yesteryear - Pie Crust

I got the cookbook "Baking Yesteryear" by B. Dylan Hollis. I have loved his TikToks - well, YouTube vids I suppose lol but they were brought over from TikTok. I am very excited to try all of the recipes lol.

The other day, Z came grocery shopping with me. Peaches were on sale, so she asked if we could make a peach pie. Heck yes kiddo, I'm down!

So today we got to it! Instead of using my usual crust recipe, I decided to try the one in Baking Yesteryear. Here is what Dylan says about it: 

"There will be pies in this book (I sure hope so) that call for a prepared pastry as part of their recipe. And while I feel that this buttery, flaky pastry deserves the right to be featured multiple times alongside them, its recipe will instead wait for you here with eagerness."

So here is the recipe. 

Single crust for 9-inch pie

1 1/3 cups (185g) all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup (115g) butter or vegetable shortening, cold and cubed

4-6 tbsp cold water

Double crust for 9-inch pie

2 1/3 cups (325g) all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup (225g) butter or vegetable shortening, cold and cubed

6-8 tbsp cold water

There is a whole method of doing this in the book, but I only half followed it. So here's what I did:

Measure flour and salt into a food processor. Add half the butter, and process until uniform texture. Add the rest of the butter and pulse until crumbly. Add the lower amount of water, and pulse to help bring the dough together. Dough should come together and be sticky, but don't over pulse it. If it's not coming together, add another tbsp of the water. Mine needed 5 tbsp.

Take out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and shape into a flat disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in fridge for at least half an hour. Mine sat for a couple hours while Z and I went to play at the park lol.

Once chilled, roll out dough on floured surface to fit into your pie pan, with enough to slightly hang over the edge. Trim if needed, and crimp the edges with a fork.

If you need to blind bake the shell, preheat the oven to 375°F. Use a fork to poke holes all around the sides and bottom of the crust, so that trapped air doesn't make it bubble up and bake out of shape. Crumple up some parchment paper, then line your pie crust with it and fill with pie weights (or dried beans, which is what I use lol). Bake for 15 minutes, then take out parchment and weights to bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the bottom of the crust is golden brown. Mine took about 20.

That's it! It's pretty easy and quick with a food processor, and this crust is so flaky and delicious! Adrielle loved it even more than my usual crust I make ☺️

Pizza Dough

 This is from the same place as my favourite caesar dressing ;)

Makes 4

250ml warm water

6g yeast

8g sugar

20ml honey

35ml EVOO

5g salt

450g flour

Mix water, yeast, and sugar; let sit 10 minutes.

Mix honey and oil; set aside

Mix salt and flour in stand mixer bowl. Add all other ingredients.

Mix for 10 minutes on low, 5 minutes on medium.

Proof on greased tray, covered, for 15 minutes.

Portion, roll balls, keep covered in fridge on greased tray.

Caesar Dressing

I shouldn't say where this recipe is from, but rest assured, this is my favourite caesar dressing I've ever had! The recipe has been quartered, so sorry for the half yolk that's called for lol.

2.5 egg yolks

2 anchovies

1 tbsp garlic puree

1/4 tbsp salt

1/4 tbsp coarse black pepper

1/4 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp dijon

37.5g parmesan

4 lemons, juiced

1 c. canola oil

1 c. EVOO

Blend all but the oils in the food processor. Very slowly, add the oils to emulsify.

Pork Baozi

Dough:

500g AP flour

1.5 tsp instant yeast

50ml lukewarm water

230ml warm water

1 tsp baking powder

3g salt

40g sugar

2 tbsp cooking oil

Combine flour, yeast, and 50ml water, let sit 5 minutes. Add dry ingredients to mixer. Slowly add yeast mixture and remaining water, followed by the cooking oil. Knead 10-15 minutes until soft and sticky. Cover and let rise for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.

Filling:

1/4 of a napa cabbage

1.5lb ground pork

5-8 scallions, finely sliced

2 tbsp soy sauce

1.5 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp sesame oil

2-3 tsp cornstarch

Finely chop cabbage and add 1tbsp salt. Let sit 20 minutes. Rinse and squeeze, then add to rest of filling.

To assemble:

Divide dough into 4. Roll each into a log 1.5" in diameter. Cut into 6 equal pieces and shape into balls.

Roll the balls to 4" in diameter - center should be slightly thicker. Add 1-2 tbsp filling, then pleat closed. Place buns in steamer on parchment squares. Let sit 30-45 before steaming.

Steam for 15 minutes on high heat. Turn off heat, let sit for 5 minutes.

Repeat until all buns are cooked.

Tourtiere

1 tbsp canola oil

1.5 onions, small dice

12.5g garlic, minced

1lb ground beef

1lb ground pork

4 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp nutmeg

1 tsp cloves

Salt and pepper to taste

350g potatoes, peeled and small dice

6.5 tbsp water

Soften the onions and garlic in the oil until translucent but no colour. Add in meats and spice mix, cook stirring often to break up the meat. Keep cooking until the meat is cooked but not browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Add in the water and potatoes, continue cooking stirring often until the potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes.

Cool, and adjust seasonings as needed.

To assemble:

Roll out 2 doughs, placing one in pie pan, leaving the bottoms a bit longer draping over the edges. Shape the top to just to the size of the top of the pie pan.

Portion 4 cups meat filling into the shell. Place the pastry top over the filling, roll the pastry bottom up to seal.

Using a knife or bread lame, carve designs into top of shell to release steam when baking.

To bake, preheat oven to 375F, bake for 45-60 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Company's Coming Whipped Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1.5 cups AP flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

Cream butter and sugar in medium bowl. Beat until light and fluffy.

Add flour and cornstarch gradually while beating continuously. Beat until light. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in 375F oven for 12-14 minutes.

London Fog cookies: Add 1 teabag of Earl Grey tea and 1/2 vanilla bean.

Makes 2.5 dozen (30) cookies.

Buttermilk Pancakes

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups flour

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp baking soda

Vanilla

1/4 cup melted butter

Sourdough

255g starter

152g water 95°F

260g bread flour

37g whole wheat flour

6g sea salt

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When using yeast water, use the water mixed with equal weight AP flour to make a starter. Use that starter in the above recipe.

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Starter and water in mixer. Add flours. Mix on slow for 5 minutes, scrape down sides and mix 10-15 more seconds. Rest 30 minutes.

Add salt, mix 5 minutes, scrape, mix 10-15 seconds. Move into bowl. Rest 30 minutes.

4-point fold, rest 30 minutes.

4-point fold, rest 1 hour.

Shape dough on counter, cover, rest 30 minutes. Dough needs to bounce back slowly from a finger poke. Could take up to an hour.

Place into rice-floured bannetons. Proof covered overnight in fridge.

Baking:

Preheat pizza stone at 400F Place on parchment, spray with water. Slash with one long up-down, and three diagonal.

Check bread at 25 minutes, through bottom of loaf, should reach 200F. Could take up to 40 minutes.

Cool on rack.

Sourdough Garlic and Oregano Pizza Dough

375g starter

170g cold water

3g salt

3g yeast

19g EVOO

19g roasted garlic, mashed

1.5g oregano

447g AP flour

Weigh everything together except flour into mixer, mix. Add flour, mix on speed 1 for 4 minutes. Measure out to 375g portions, bag and refrigerate right away.

Tomato Basil Soup

300g onion

30ml EVOO

800-1000g tomatoes

1 796ml can fire roasted tomatoes

2 540ml cans tomato juice

50g brown sugar

70ml vegetable soup concentrate

6.5g dried basil (or 13g fresh basil)

Sautee onions in oil until golden. Add all other ingredients (except if using fresh basil, add while puréeing). Bring to boil, simmer for 30 minutes. Cool.

When cool enough, puree soup using blender. If using fresh basil, add basil in blender. Strain through fine-mesh sieve.

Curried Sweet Potato Coconut Soup

 2 tbsp oil
1 onion
2 tbsp ginger paste (or 1/2 tbsp powder)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tbsp curry powder
3/4 tsp turmeric
800 g sweet potato
200 g carrot, chopped
1.25 L veggie stock
1 13.5oz can coconut milk

Heat oil. Add onion, ginger, curry, turmeric, cook until onion is soft. Add garlic, cook 1 minute.

Add carrots/sweet potato and stock, bring to boil, reduce to simmer. Cook until veggies are soft. Remove from heat, add coconut milk. Puree until smooth, then strain. Season with salt and white pepper.

Garnish with coconut milk and crunchy chickpeas.

Cream Drop Scones

1 1/3 cup flour

2 tsp sugar

2.5-3 tsp baking powder

1 cup cream

Pinch of salt

Mix it all together and bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes. I think I usually do 11 or 12 minutes.

Flourless Fudge Cookies

Makes 3 dozen

408 g icing sugar
3.2 g salt
2 g espresso powder (optional)
136 g cocoa powder
172 g egg whites
18 g vanilla
360 g dark chocolate chips

Oven 325F

Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment sprayed with cooking spray.

By hand, whisk the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix until the consistency of syrup. Add the chocolate chips.

Rest in the bowl for 30 minutes before scooping.

Portion cookies onto the sprayed parchment using a 3/4oz scoop, leaving room for them to spread.

Bake 7-9 minutes. They will get shiny and when they're done they will crack.

Cool right on the pan. Peel off gently when completely cooled.

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is B. Dylan Hollis' recipe, so good!!!

1/2 cup bacon grease

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

Vanilla

2 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 heaping cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped up bacon (my addition, optional)

Whisk first set of ingredients together. Add flour and soda. If too dry, can add some milk. Add chocolate chips (and bacon bits).

Chill (I did 1 hour).

Bake at 350F for about 12 minutes (mine took over 16).

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry

I found this recipe in our new place, it was on top of the kitchen cupboards in a Hello Fresh bundle. So, hey here's a Hello Fresh recipe, :)

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry with Spinach and Cilantro Rice

Serves 2

1 cup red lentils, rinsed until water runs clear

3/4 cup basmati rice

340g sweet potato, diced to 1/2-inch

160g roma tomato, dice to 1/2-inch

1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated

14g cilantro, roughly chopped

1 chili pepper, optional, finely chopped, seeds removed

113g baby spinach

56g onion, chopped

1 tbsp garlic puree

1 tbsp Indian spice mix

2 vegetable broth concentrate

165ml coconut milk

28g crispy shallots

Oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425F.

Toss sweet potatoes with 1 tbsp oil on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the middle of the oven, flipping halfway through, until tender, 18-20 minutes.

While sweet potatoes roast, bring 1 1/4 cups water to boil in a covered medium pot. Once boiling, add rice, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 12-14 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Set aside, still covered.

While rice cooks, heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. When hot, add 1 tbsp oil, then onions and tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4-6 minutes. Add garlic puree, ginger, Indian spice mix, and 1/4 tsp chili pepper (optional). Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add broth concentrate, coconut milk, lentils, and 1 1/2 cups water to the same pan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until lentils are tender, 12-15 minutes. Note: if needed, thin out with 1-2 tbsp water.

When lentils are tender, stir sweet potatoes and spinach into lentil curry. Cook, stirring often, until spinach wilts, 1-2 minutes. Saeson with salt and pepper. Fluff rice with a fork, then stir in half the cilantro and season with salt. Divide rice between plates. Top with lentil and sweet potato curry. Sprinkle crispy shallots and remaining cilantro on top.

Tomato and Peanut Soup with Sweet Potato and Chickpeas

1 tbsp oil

1 onion

2 tbsp fresh grated ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

4 cups soup broth

1 540ml can chickpeas

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 large sweet potato, diced

1 large carrot

1/4-1/3 cup peanut butter

1/4 finely chopped cilantro stems

1 handful spinach/chopped kale/swiss chard

Yogurt, peanuts, cilantro leaves, for garnish

Heat oil in large pot. Add onions, cook until soft. Add ginger and garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add spices, cook for 1 minute. Add everything else except spinach, bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 20-30 minutes. Stir in spinach, cook 2-3 minutes until wilted.

Slow cooker: put everything except oil and spinach into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6 hours. Uncover, stir, break up chunks of sweet potato, and add spinach. Cover, cook 1-2 minutes for spinach to wilt.

Serves 8