Marbled Magic Wands

These fantastic cookies are twisty, crunchy, sweet and colorful logs of fun!... Every time I make these cookies they seem to magically disappear.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Assorted colors of paste food coloring
1 1/2 cups white baking pieces
1 tablespoon butter flavored shortening
Purchased colored sugars

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Hand-stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon.

Divide dough in half. Tint half of the dough with a single paste food coloring shade. Leave remaining half of dough plain or tint with another color.

Pack both colors of dough into a cookie press. Keep dough separate by placing them side by side in the cookie press.  Using a large star plate in the press, force dough through press onto an ungreased cookie sheet to form wands about 5-inches long. Bake in 375 degree oven about 10 minutes or until edges are firm but not brown.  Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool.

In a small saucepan melt white baking pieces and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly. Dip  cookies into melted white baking pieces, allowing the excess to drip off. Sprinkle with colored sugar. Place cookies on waxed paper. Let stand until set.

Cranberry Sauce Loaf

This tasty bread is especially quick and easy to put together... Invite those young cooks into the kitchen for this one because they can't really mess up here!

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup raisins

Directions:

In a bowl cream the butter with the brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, then the cranberry sauce.

In another bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Beat the flour mixture into the cranberry sauce mixture until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Stir in walnuts and raisins. Mixture should be fairly lumpy.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9x5x3" loaf pan. Bake the cake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour, or until it tests done with a toothpick. Let cool on rack 20 minutes before removing bread.

Chocolate Chip-Orange Scones

Kids positively go nuts for these scones!...
and you will too, just see for yourself.

 

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 large egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 teaspoons grated orange zest
Cream to brush
Cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle 

Directions:

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Have ready a large ungreased baking sheet.

In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut the butter into flour mixture with 2 knives, tossing pieces of butter with the flour mixture to coat and separate them as you work. The largest pieces should be about the size of peas and the mixture should resemble breadcrumbs. Work quickly. Do not allow the the butter to melt or form a paste with the flour. Stir in the chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg, heavy cream, and orange zest. Make a well in the center of the butter-flour mixture and pour in the egg mixture. Using one hand, draw in dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Wash your hands and dust them with flour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently knead a few times to gather dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, press the dough into a circle about 3/4 inch thick. Cut out triangular wedges with a floured cookie cutter or sharp knife. Place the scones 1 inch apart on the ungreased baking sheet.

Brush the tops with extra cream. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon and sugar. Bake until the tops are golden brown, 12 to 17 minutes. Let cool on rack or serve warm.

Sour-Cherry Almond Crunch Cake

Be sure to use fresh cherries in this recipe if you can (pitted of course!)... But if you cannot, then sour cherries in a jar or can will do fine!  Avoid frozen cherries which make the batter too wet.

 

Ingredients:

1 can or jar (12 to 16 ounces) pitted sour cherries
      in light syrup or water; or 1 1/2 cups of
      pitted fresh sour cherries
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cup up in pieces
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
1 recipe Crunch Topping (see below)

Directions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Put aside an ungreased 8x8 square inch cake pan. Drain canned cherries, then spread out on paper towels to absorb excess moisture.

In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut the butter into flour mixture with 2 knives, tossing pieces with the flour mixture to coat and separate them as you work. The largest pieces should be about the size of peas and the mixture should resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Work quickly. Do not allow the the butter to melt or form a paste with the flour.

In another bowl mix together the yogurt and almond extract. Add to the butter-flour mixture and stir with a fork just until the mixture clumps together to form a soft dough. Spread the dough in a thin layer in the ungreased cake pan. Scatter the cherries evenly over the top of the the dough.

Sprinkle the Crunch Topping over the cherries. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean about 30 to 35 minutes.

Place pan on a wire rack to cool. Cut to serve the cake from the pan. Or loosen the edges with a knife before serving turning the cake gently out onto a plate. Then cover with a serving plate and gently turn both plates over together. If you store this cake overnight the almond flavor will develop more fully. But cover the cake loosely or the topping will lose some of its crunchiness.

Crunch Topping: Put 3/4 cup of toasted chopped almonds, 1/3 cup of all purpose flour; 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 4 tablespoons of butter cut up in pieces, into a small bowl and work with your fingers until well blended. The mixture should be lumpy.

TEA PARTY GAMES | TEA PARTY CRAFTS | TEA PARTY MENUS | TEA PARTY INVITATIONS | FUN PARTY SUPPLIES | FORMAL TEA PARTY SUPPLIES | SUBMIT A GAME | SUBMIT A RECIPE | BABY SHOWER GAMES
TOP 100 BABY NAMES | CONTACT US | SITE MAP | AFFILIATE PROGRAM...