Gingerbread Biscotti

   Every year at Christmas I like to give a homemade gift of some kind to our neighbors. Since Christmas is only a few days away I decided it was probably time to get something made. =) I love biscotti but have never made it myself. (although I have had many good intentions to do so.)
    After tossing several options around I decided to give it a shot. I thought, if it flops I'll just start over with option #2 and enjoy the spoils myself. Thankfully, (but also rather regretfully) it turned out wonderful. I had a sample and the rest went out the door. Guess I'll be making more soon. =)

Gingerbread Biscotti

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

 2 tbsp molasses

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp allspice

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

12 oz white baking chocolate

crystallized ginger

Preheat oven to 350º. In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, molasses and vanilla and mix until well combined. In a separate bowl sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to the creamed mixture, about 1 cup at a time until it is all incorporated. 

Flour your work surface and transfer dough to the surface. Divide the dough in half and on a parchment lined baking sheet form each piece of dough into a log about 11"x5".

 Bake for 30-40 minutes until the surface springs back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and transfer from baking sheet to cutting board. Let cool 10-15 minutes then with a serrated knife slice 3/4-1 inch slices. Place the slices, cut side down back onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Return to oven and bake for 10-15 minutes more, flipping halfway through. The longer you bake it the harder and crunchier it will be. Once done place on wire racks to cool. 

When completely cool, melt the chocolate and drizzle it over top or dip the biscotti in it. Garnish with finely chopped crystallized ginger. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or your favorite tea. 

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 Glory to God in the Highest, 

and on earth peace, goodwill
toward men.

~Luke 2:14

   As we celebrate our Savior's birth, may the love, joy and peace of the season surround and go with you into the new year! From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!!

 

Angel Food Cupcakes with Black Raspberry Curd and 7 Minute Frosting

     Anytime I eat a fresh-picked black raspberry I am immediately taken back to my childhood. My grandparents who, for the younger part of my life lived just down the lane; had a raspberry patch that we would love to go and pick from. One evening myself and a few of my brothers, (I don't remember who anymore) decided to camp-out in our backyard. The next morning for our 'breakfast in a tent' we ate Cheerios with black raspberries. So that is what I think of the second a raspberry is popped into my mouth. Sweet memories!
   Now my in-law's who live just down the road, have a large patch that we are lucky enough to get to pick from whenever we want/need. Last evening we had stopped by for awhile and I decided while I was there to pick a few to bring home with me. While they are delicious just by themselves I also wanted to make something fun with some of them. Hubby is on shift at the firehouse today, so I thought I'd bake something to take in for him and his co-firemen. I had an idea of what I wanted to do and after combining and adapting a few different recipes this was the end result. Just like I had imagined....which was great, because unfortunately, it doesn't always happen that way.

Angel Food Cupcakes with Black Raspberry Curd and 7 Minute Frosting

yield:18-20 cupcakes

Cupcakes:

6 egg whites, room temperature  

12 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp cake flour, sifted

Sift together sifted cake flour and 6 tbsp of sugar.  Set aside. In the bowl of mixer with whisk attachment beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tatar, salt and almond extract and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add in remaining 6 tbsp of sugar and beat until stiff  peaks form. Sift the flour mixture over the egg whites (about half at a time) and with a spatula gently fold in. Divide batter into muffin tins lined with paper liners. Run a knife through the batter to remove any air pockets and smooth out the top. Bake at 350° for  15-17 minute or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Do not over-bake! Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing onto wire racks. 

Black Raspberry Curd:

1 1/4 cups of fresh black raspberries

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 tbsp water 

pinch of salt

7 tbsp butter, room temperature

Heat a medium saucepan over low heat. Add raspberries, sugar, eggs, water and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon. Dice butter into small pieces. When raspberries begin to break down and the mixture starts to bubble, add the butter and stir until it is melted. Increase heat and keep stirring until mixture is thickened. (It should coat the wooded spoon) Remove from heat and immediately rub through a sieve into a bowl. Cool thoroughly. This can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for several weeks.

7 Minute Frosting:

2 egg whites

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp light corn syrup

1/3 cup cold water

pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

Place all ingredients except vanilla in a double boiler, mix well. Cook, beating constantly with electric beater until mixture forms peaks, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla.

To assemble the cupcakes I used a wooden chopstick and poked a hole in each cupcake. Then pipe the black raspberry curd into the hole and partway over the top. Pipe the frosting over all and garnish with fresh berries and a mint leaf if you wish.

     

   Just a quick note; if you haven't already read or heard Google reader will be going away forever tomorrow (July 1). So if you use it you may want to consider switching to something else before it disappears. I switched to  Bloglovin and so far I 'love' it! It was extremely easy to switch over and you can also easily switch all the blogs you follow over at one time. I'd love if you'd follow my blog over there as well! =) You can do that by clicking  here or you can also just click on the 'follow with bloglovin' link in the side bar on my blog page. Thanks for your interest in my little teeny tiny part of the blogging world! I truly appreciate each and every one of you! =)

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Because of the Lord's great love

we are not consumed,

for His compassion's never fail.

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, "the Lord is my

portion; therefore I will wait for Him."

~Lamentations 3:22-24 

 

  

 

 

 

Merry Christmas To All!

   So hard to believe it is already this time of year again!! Today has been what I think would be an almost text-book perfect Christmas Eve Day....a lazy day at home with Hubby and G-bug as the first snow of the year falls!

   Of course I had to take some pictures of the little Mr and his first snow. He was mesmerized this morning watching the big flakes float past the windows so I dressed him up and outside we went for a short photo shoot. It was so cute to watch him experience it all for the first time, he even stuck out his little tongue a time or so to catch the flakes. Here are a few of the photos....

 

  So from our family to yours....A very blessed and joy-filled Christmas as we celebrate our dear Savior's birth!

Card photos courtesy of the talented Emily Sacra Photography

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Fear not: for behold,

I bring you good tidings of great joy,

which shall be to all people. 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David

a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

 ~St. Luke 2:10-12

♥ Sheila

Happy Thanksgiving!

   Wishing you each and everyone a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving! May every day of the year be one of Thanksgiving and Thanks-living as we show gratitude to the Lord for His many gifts to us. We are blessed beyond measure!

   

   Stay tuned for a couple of Thanksgiving recipe posts......coming soon!

 

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Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power

and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is Yours.

Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom;

You are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you; 

You are the ruler of all things.

In Your hands are strength and power

to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,

and praise Your glorious name.   

~1 Chronicles 29:11-13

♥ Sheila