Tag Archive | almonds

Cranberry Tangerine Cookies

Nov26

Plated cookiesA very fond memory I have of growing up in Germany is of baking cookies during the holidays. A popular German tradition is holiday cookie baking, where families will spend several days or even weeks preparing for the holidays by baking dozens and dozens of cookies and lining them in prepared holiday tins. When visiting friends and family you bring a box of cookies as a present and often receive one back. German cookies tend to be less sweet than a typical American cookie and often filled with fruit and nuts. This recipe for Cranberry Tangerine Cookies is inspired by the German cookies you could expect in your tin. Filled with cranberries, almonds, and tangerine, they’re the perfect bit of sweet treat you want.

Cranberry Tangerine Cookies
Yields 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon grated tangerine zest
  • 2 tablespoons tangerine juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped (you can also use walnuts or pecans if you prefer)

Icing

  • 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 3 tablespoons tangerine juice
  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

 Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, cream together butter and the brown and white sugar for several minutes.

sugar and butter creamed together

Add the egg, tangerine zest and juice, almond extract, and mix well. Gradually add the flour, baking soda, and salt until well incorporated.

dough with flour

Stir in the cranberries and almonds.

dough with pecans and cranberries

2. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes. Since every oven varies slightly, I always recommend you bake one cookie all by itself to see exactly how long you need. Better to accidentally ruin one cookie than an entire tray!

dough on cookie sheet

 

baked cookies

3. Transfer from cookie sheet to a cooling rack.

4. While cookies are cooling, mix together the ingredients for the icing.

ingredients for glaze

Using a fork or a whisk, drizzle icing over the cookies.

Iced cookies

Allow icing to set before transferring to cookie tins or eating. Enjoy!

Plated cookies

Cherry Almond Bread Pudding

Jul28

Bread Pudding platedBread pudding is one of those dishes that is so yummy and satisfying and great to serve any time of the year. I often make it for brunch, dessert, and holiday get-togethers. The thing I don’t like about most bread pudding recipes is that they often require heavy whipping cream or half-n-half, which I never have on hand and frankly don’t want to use because of the calories. However, after experimenting with a few recipes, I tweaked and tested out ingredients until I settled on this to-die-for winner. It really couldn’t be easier and the addition of dried cherries, almonds, and white chocolate chips pair perfectly with the soft bread pudding. Trust me when I say that you’ll love this bread pudding! And what a great way to use up stale or day old bread. If you’re cooking for a crowd, consider doubling the recipe and serving in a 9×13 casserole instead.

White Chocolate Cherry Bread Pudding
Serves 12

Ingredients:

6 cups cubed french bread *You can use just about any type of bread as long as it’s airy and not dense.
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cherries *You can also substitute with raisins or other dried fruit if you prefer.
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 8″ square dish or 9″ round pie pan with non-stick spray.

2. Sprinkle half of the bread cubes in the dish and then cover with half of the cherries, white chocolate chips, and almonds.

1/2 bread covered with cherries, chips, and almonds

Top with remaining bread and then sprinkle remaining cherries, white chocolate chips, and almonds on top.

Bread covered with cherries, chips, and almonds

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together butter, sugar and honey. Add eggs and milk and mix until well incorporated. Mix in spices and vanilla extract.

Liquid mixture

Pour liquid mixture over the bread, making sure all the bread is coated.

Milk mixture poured over bread

Use a spatula to press down tops of bread into the milk mixture.

Spatula pressing bread into milk

4. Bake for 45 minutes or until the bread is light and springy and not gooey in the center.

Finished bread pudding

Allow to cool 10-15 minutes and serve warm. Enjoy!

For an added touch of decadence, serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. So good! 🙂

Cherry Pie Bars

Jul15

Plated Cherry BarsFirst off, these cherry pie bars are seriously good and super easy to make! When I whip up a batch of them I’m immediately transported into one of my favorite kitchens in the world—my dear friend Rosel’s in Haßloch Pfalz, Germany. She lived in my neighborhood growing up and was my Mom’s best friend so became like a second mom to me. She loved cooking and baking and nurtured those passions in me.
Ironically, this recipe is American and was featured in Taste of Home magazine. I brought several cooking magazines with me when I visited several years ago and I made these cherry bars for Rosel and her family. They all hailed it a great culinary triumph and begged for me to make them again and again while I was there.
So what makes these cherry pie bars so special? These bars are cakey and rich and spiked with delicious cherries and almonds. They really are heavenly! After telling Tom the story behind this recipe, I whipped up a batch for him and he said he totally understood what all the fuss was about. 🙂

Cherry Pie Bars

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cans (21 ounces each) cherry pie filling
  • 1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds

Glaze: 

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and salt until fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add extracts and lemon juice. Add the flour in gradually, mixing well.

Batter in bowl

2. Grease a bar or jelly roll pan or, if you prefer thicker cherry bars, use a 9×13. Spread 3 cups of the batter onto the bottom of the pan, reserving the rest for spooning on top.

Batter in pan

Cover batter with the cherry pie filling.

Cherry on top of batter

Sprinkle almonds over the top and then drop spoonfuls of the remaining batter on top of the of the filling and almonds.

spoonfuls of batter over the top

3. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake part is golden brown. Note: If using a 9×13 the baking time will be longer. 

Baked cherry bars

4. While bars are cooling, prepare the icing. Mix the ingredients for the icing in a small bowl and drizzle over the cooled cherry bars.

Cherry Bars

Enjoy!