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15. Remove the foil and bake 30 minutes more, or until the topping is crisp and golden brown. If the topping appears underdone, continue baking in 10-minute increments until it's done. Remove the foil and bake 30 minutes more, or until the topping is crisp and golden brown. If the topping appears underdone, continue baking in 10-minute increments until it's done.
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16. Spoon the warm crisp onto a plate, and drizzle the chilled maple cream sauce over the top. Mmmm. This is one of the great ones, folks. Spoon the warm crisp onto a plate, and drizzle the chilled maple cream sauce over the top. Mmmm. This is one of the great ones, folks.
HELPFUL HINT: Drink any remaining maple cream sauce with a straw. Then fall into a deep sleep and wake up in a week, after your guilt subsides. Drink any remaining maple cream sauce with a straw. Then fall into a deep sleep and wake up in a week, after your guilt subsides.
RED VELVET CAKE.
Makes one 10-inch layer cake Let's face it: the best thing about red velvet cake is just how darn pretty it is. But luckily, the second best thing, and it runs a close second, is the cake itself. The cream cheese icing is rich, creamy, and the perfect match for the mildly flavored cake. I adore red velvet cake.
This is a real treat for girl get-togethers. The manic giggling always stops long enough for everyone to let out a few ooohs ooohs and and aaahs aaahs.
And as a middle child, I just love it when that happens.
RED VELVET CAKE1 cup shortening1 cups sugar2 cups cake flour1 teaspoons salt2 large eggs1 cup buttermilk (if you don't have any, see In the Morning)1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoons vinegar1 ounce red food coloring (use 2 ounces if you desire a deeper red color)1 teaspoons cocoa powderCREAM CHEESE ICING 1 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature 1 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, softened1 pounds powdered sugar teaspoon salt2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract [image]
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray two round 10-inch cake pans (2 inches deep) with nonstick baking spray. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray two round 10-inch cake pans (2 inches deep) with nonstick baking spray.
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2. Blend together the shortening and sugar in a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer. Set aside. Blend together the shortening and sugar in a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer. Set aside.
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3. Sift together the flour and salt. Set aside. Sift together the flour and salt. Set aside.
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4. Mix the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and vinegar in a separate bowl. Mix the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and vinegar in a separate bowl.
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5. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the shortening mixture in the mixing bowl, mixing after each addition. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the shortening mixture in the mixing bowl, mixing after each addition.
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6. In a small bowl, mix the red food coloring and cocoa powder. In a small bowl, mix the red food coloring and cocoa powder.
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7. Pour into the mixing bowl. Pour into the mixing bowl.
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8. Mix until just combined. Don't overbeat. Mix until just combined. Don't overbeat.
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9. Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans. Cool completely before icing.
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10. Now, make the icing. Now, make the icing.
Place the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and whip until smooth. Sift the powdered sugar and add it to the bowl. Add the salt and mix.
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11. Add the vanilla and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla and mix until smooth.
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12. Place one layer face down on a cake plate or pedestal. Note the cocoa swirling throughout the cake! Place one layer face down on a cake plate or pedestal. Note the cocoa swirling throughout the cake!
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13. Plop a large spoonful of icing in the center of the layer. Plop a large spoonful of icing in the center of the layer.
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14. Using an offset spatula, spread one-third of the icing evenly on top of one layer, making sure to get the icing all the way to the edges. Using an offset spatula, spread one-third of the icing evenly on top of one layer, making sure to get the icing all the way to the edges.
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15. Place the other cake layer on top, face down. Place the other cake layer on top, face down.
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16. Ice the top... Ice the top...
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17. And ice the sides with the remaining icing, being careful not to loosen crumbs as you go. And ice the sides with the remaining icing, being careful not to loosen crumbs as you go.
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18. Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes before cutting and serving. (Because of the butter, the icing will become soft at room temperature.) Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes before cutting and serving. (Because of the butter, the icing will become soft at room temperature.) To serve, cut a large X in the refrigerated cake.
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19. Then cut smaller slices within each quadrant of the cake. Then cut smaller slices within each quadrant of the cake.
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I love red velvet cake. It's almost too pretty to be eaten.
I said almost almost...
HELPFUL HINT: Store leftovers in the fridge. Store leftovers in the fridge.
ANGEL SUGAR COOKIES.
Makes 18 cookies Don't tell anyone, but Marlboro Man loves sugar cookies made from store-bought refrigerator dough. He can't help it-it's a comfort food a cowboy's wife used to make for him when he was a little boy and he can't shake the sweet, chewy memories.
Me? I love the dough. And I never object when Marlboro Man has a craving for those sugar cookies because I always shave off a good hunk or two of the raw dough and have myself a snack.
For homemade sugar cookies, I don't attempt to compete with those incredibly consistent pre-fab wonders. So I go a different direction, making this sugar cookie that's light, crisp, and melt-in-your-mouth.
2 large eggs1 cup canola oil pound (2 sticks) butter, softened1 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for the tops of the cookies1 cup powdered sugar1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon cream of tartar [image]
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Preheat the oven to 350F.
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2. To make the dough, in a large mixing bowl, cream together the eggs, oil, butter, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and vanilla. To make the dough, in a large mixing bowl, cream together the eggs, oil, butter, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
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3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
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4. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop the balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop the balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
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5. Smear a dab of butter on the bottom of a glass, then dip it in granulated sugar. Smear a dab of butter on the bottom of a glass, then dip it in granulated sugar.
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6. Use the glass to flatten the balls of dough, dipping again into the sugar each time. Use the glass to flatten the balls of dough, dipping again into the sugar each time.
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7. Repeat until all are flattened. Repeat until all are flattened.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until the cookies are just barely turning brown around the edges.
Allow to cool before eating.
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BEWARE: Cookies are ultra-light and crumbly and don't travel well. They're meant to be eaten at home! Cookies are ultra-light and crumbly and don't travel well. They're meant to be eaten at home!
KEEPIN' IT REAL Not everything in my kitchen is smooth sailing.
Never has been...never will be.
And I've got the pictures to prove it.
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Where 's my staff of assistants?
I'm still waiting...
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.