Doberge Cake

Doberge Cake

By Judy Walker, The Times-Picayune 

How do you pronounce it? (I say dough-bosh; some say dough-bearj or dough-boj.)

Of course you would want all ingredients to be at room temperature before starting.

Doberge torte

1 ½ sticks butter

2 cups sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

4 eggs, separated, whites stiffly beaten

1 cup milk

3 teaspoons baking powder

3 ½ cups cake flour (measured after sifting)

Scant teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter, sugar and salt until smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time, and blend until smooth. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk. Beat until blended. Add vanilla and lemon juice.

With a spatula, fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

Grease 9-inch cake pans. Pour ¾ cup batter into each pan, spreading evenly over bottom. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Repeat process until batter is completely used, to make eight thin layers.

Chocolate Custard 

2 cups granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons cornstarch

2 heaping kitchen spoons cocoa

4 tablespoons bitter chocolate (2oz)

4 whole eggs, beaten 

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon vanilla

4 cups (1 quart) milk

Stir all dry ingredients together in a saucepan, then add the remaining ingredients. Whisk all together.  Cook over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from fire to cool.

Chocolate Buttercream Icing (It seemed a bit to rich for me so next time I am going to try the buttercream recipe at bottom of the page)

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

½ pound oleo (margarine), softened

1 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ounce square bitter chocolate, melted

Cream sugar and oleo, then add cocoa, then the melted chocolate and vanilla. If too thick, add a little hot water, very slowly, until the consistency is right.

When cool, put layers together with chocolate custard filling and spread chocolate butter cream icing on top and sides. Chill. Then ice with Always Delicious Chocolate Icing.

We really don't like the chocolate ganache topping on Doberge cakes so I stop here!! 

-------------------

Always Delicious Chocolate Icing 

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup white granulated sugar

4 squares melted semi-sweet chocolate

½ stick butter

¾ cup cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and let it come slowly to a boil, then boil about 10 minutes until it thickens. Beat until thick enough to spread.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (I am going to trying this one next time)

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or ½ pound), softened (but not melted!)

3½ cups confectioners (powdered) sugar

½ cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract

4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Hoffman King Cake ... UPDATED

I made my final King Cake for this Mardi Gras Season today.  I normally do not like fillings in my king cakes but today I decided to try a cream cheese filling.  My friend Jana used my recipe to make a King Cake a couple weeks ago and she told me she add cream cheese with the cinnamon filling.  After I told Keith about Jana putting Cream Cheese in the King Cake he asked if I could make one for him to bring to work.  I found a cream cheese filling on Gourmet Girls that sounded good and easy.   I decided that I did not want to just make one of the cakes with cream cheese because I would not get to try it.  Well I am glad a made both cakes with cream cheese because it taste really good.  I only put the cream cheese filling on one of the strips because I did not want the cake to have too much filling.  

I posted the recipe again because I have made some other small changes.  

I hope you enjoy!!! 

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!

Hoffman King Cake w/ optional Cream Cheese Filling

(Serves 10–12)

As you knead the dough for this Mardi Gras cake, watch for it to begin to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl. If that doesn’t happen (because the moisture content in flour fluctuates with the humidity), add a spoonful or two more flour  (For a whole recipe I used about ¼cup added one spoonful at a time and I needed more for a half batch).

I found that a half recipe is a better sized king cake for our family.   I have made the whole recipe and then split the dough in half after it has risen and made two cakes one for us and one to give away.   

For the cake:

1 cup lukewarm milk, about 110°

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons dry yeast

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup melted butter

5 egg yolks, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

grated fresh zest of one lemon (1 Tablespoon)

For cream cheese filling: (optional) I used half of the filling for each cake

8 oz. cream cheese
(I used Neufchatel Cheese)

3 Tablespoons sugar


1 teaspoon lemon zest


1 teaspoon vanilla

For cinnamon sugar filling: (make a batch for each cake)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

For the icing: (I make 1.5 batches for 2 cakes)

2 cup powdered (confectioners) sugar


2.5 tablespoon milk


1 teaspoon vanilla

Purple, green, and gold decorative sugars (mix 1/8 cup of sugar with food coloring for each) (make before start icing the cake)

1 fève (fava bean) or plastic baby to hide in the cake after baking

1. For the cake, pour the warm milk into a large bowl. Whisk in the granulated sugar, yeast, and a heaping tablespoon of the flour, mixing until both the sugar and the yeast have dissolved. 

2. Allow milk mixture to rest for about 10 minutes or until frothy, whisk in the butter, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the remaining flour and fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a large rubber spatula.

3. After the dough comes together, pulling away from the sides of the bowl, shape it into a large ball. If that doesn’t happen (because the moisture content in flour fluctuates with the humidity), add a spoonful or two more flour.  For a whole recipe I used about ¼ cup added one spoonful at a time and I needed more for a half batch.  Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes.  (I use dough hook on mixer)

4. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a draft-free place to let it proof, or rise, for 1 1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in volume. RISING TIP:  Put covered dough in warm place (80° - 85°F)

5. Make cinnamon sugar filling.  (optional) Make cream cheese filling by beating the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar together with a mixer until fluffy then set aside.

6. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Once the dough has risen, punch it down. Roll the dough into a 10 x 20 inch rectangle. Cut dough into three long strips with a pizza cutter.  Spread cream cheese filling on one strip of dough.  Spread the cinnamon sugar filling on each strip of dough.  Fold the strips in half covering the filling. Pat dough down firmly so the dough will stick together and gently stretch from both ends.  Press the tops of the strips together and braid the strips. Gently stretch the braid so that it measures 20 inches again. Shape it into a circle/oval and press the edges together.  Gently lay the braided dough on a parchment lined or nonstick cookie sheet and let it rise until it doubles in size, about 30 minutes.

7. Once it's doubled in size, place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake until the braid is golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

8. For the icing, while the cake is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a bowl until the icing is smooth and very spreadable. If the icing is too thick, add a bit more milk; if it’s a touch too loose, add a little more powdered sugar.

9. Once the cake has cooled, spread the icing over the top of the cake and sprinkle with purple, green, and gold decorative sugars while the icing is still wet. Tuck the fève or plastic baby into the underside of the cake and, using a spatula, slide the cake onto a platter.

—Adapted from John Besh & Gourmet Girls

Here is the link to the old recipe and some King Cake Tips!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Lemon Glaze

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Lemon Glaze 
(adapted from Damndelicious)

Yields 12 muffins

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream (I substituted with buttermilk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
GLAZE:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside. (If you don’t want to use paper liners, you could coat a muffin pan with cooking spray instead.)

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined.  Beat in sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest until well combined.

Gradually add flour mixture to the sugar mixture at low speed, beating just until incorporated.  Beat in poppy seeds just until incorporated.  Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tray.

Place into oven and bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Make the glaze: whisk the sugar and lemon juice together in a small, microwavable prep bowl. Microwave at intervals of 5 seconds, stirring between each, until the sugar is dissolved.

Prick each muffin a few times with a fork. Spoon the glaze over each muffins.

Spritz Cookies

Spritz Cookies

about 5 doz

1 c butter
¾ c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp almond flavoring
¼ tsp salt
2 ½ c flour

directions
Cream butter, sugar, egg, almond.
Add flour & salt
Place dough in cookie press. Form desired shapes on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with colored sugar

Bake 375   check at 8 mins

Pumpkin Bread & Iced Coffee

Pumpkin Bread

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 cup vegetable oil

2 2/3 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 cups (or one 15-ounce can) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

2/3 cup water

3 1/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 heaping teaspoon nutmeg

1  heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

½  heaping teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, optional

coarse white sugar for sprinkling on top, optional

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans (if you're making the plain version of the bread); two 9" x 5" loaf pans (if you're adding chocolate chips and nuts); or one of each, if you're making one plain loaf, and one loaf with chips and nuts.

2) In a large bowl, beat together the oil, sugar, eggs, pumpkin, and water.

3) Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and vanilla, stirring to combine.

4) Mix in the chips and nuts, if you're using them. To make one loaf with chips/nuts, one loaf without, divide the batter in half. Leave one half plain, and add 3/4 cup chips and 1/2 cup nuts to the other half.

5) Spoon the batter into the prepared pans. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with coarse sparkling sugar, if desired.

6) Bake the bread for 60 to 80 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean; and that same tester inserted about 1/2" into the top of the loaf doesn't encounter any totally unbaked batter.  (I made 8 Mini Loaves 40 mins)

7) Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack. When it's completely cool, wrap it well in plastic wrap, and store it overnight before serving.

Yield: 2 loaves.

The pumpkin bread tasted awesome and went great with our Iced Coffees we make at home.  

A couple weeks ago on Pinterest my cousin Liz pinned something about making a huge batch of iced coffee.  I told her I needed to introduce her to Toddy Cold Brew.   You put the filter in the bottom of the container I take a pound of my favorite coffee and water, you let it sit for 12-24hours (we always wait 24hours).  Then you drain and it stays fresh in the refrigerator for 2weeks. 

Now you can use the coffee concentrate to make hot or iced coffee.  For our iced coffee we put in coffee concentrate, French Vanilla Creamer, ice and milk.  It is a great at home substitute for a coffee house Iced Lattes.  ENJOY!!

Happy 33rd Birthday Keith!!

Everyone was up bright and early so we got to have breakfast with Keith before work.  He opened the cards he got in the mail from family.

 After we picked blueberries last week Keith has been asking me to make Banana Blueberry Muffins.  So yesterday the boys and I made them so he could have then this morning for breakfast.

 After Keith went to work the boys and I started making cupcakes for his birthday.  Grady cut the dark chocolate for the cupcakes.

 Grady cracked open all 4 eggs for the cupcakes and then Reece poured them in.

Then Grady blew up the balloons with a hand pump while Reece and I threaded them with a needle and thread.  Another idea I found on pinterest.   We hung up the balloons and the birthday banner

 While the boys were napping a iced the Dark Chocolate Chip Cupcakes.  I just used her cake recipe with our family favorite cream cheese icing.  But the icing was two runny today, but they still tasted good.

 Keith wanted to have Mexican at home for supper.  We had cheese dip, tacos, margaritas and made the boys pink frozen lemon-garitas (pink lemonade, sprite and ice).  Grady wanted to hold the remote to take the picture.

Then we played Start the Party on the PS3 move.  

Happy Birthday Keith!  We LOVE You!!

2nd Homemade King Cake

I made some adjustments to the 1st King Cake recipe in hopes to get the cake to taste more like Mandeville Bake Shop.   I think I have done it, this cake taste awesome.  I made a half batch this time and it is a perfect size for our family.

UPDATED RECIPE 2/10/2013: Hoffman King Cake

UPDATED: I posted a new post with some King Cake Making Tips.

Hoffman King Cake (Serves 10–12)  

As you knead the dough for this Mardi Gras cake, watch for it to begin to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl. If that doesn’t happen (because the moisture content in flour fluctuates with the humidity), add a spoonful or two more flour  (For a whole recipe I used about ¼cup added one spoonful at a time and I needed more for a half batch).

I found that a half recipe is a better sized king cake for our family.   I have made the whole recipe and then split the dough in half after it has risen and made two cake one for us and one to give away.   

For the cake:

1 cup lukewarm milk, about 110°

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons dry yeast

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup melted butter

5 egg yolks, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 heaping teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest

Make a batch of filling and icing for each cake you are making (even if you are splitting the dough)!

For cinnamon sugar filling:

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons raw sugar (I used brown sugar b/c did not have raw)

For the icing:

2 cup powdered (confectioners) sugar


4 tablespoon milk


1 teaspoon vanilla

Purple, green, and gold decorative sugars (1/8 cup of each color)

1 fève (fava bean) or plastic baby to hide in the cake after baking

1. For the cake, pour the warm milk into a large bowl. Whisk in the granulated sugar, yeast, and a heaping tablespoon of the flour, mixing until both the sugar and the yeast have dissolved. (I use paddle attachment)

2. Once bubbles have developed on the surface of the milk and it begins to foam, whisk in the butter, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the remaining flour and fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a large rubber spatula.

3. After the dough comes together, pulling away from the sides of the bowl, shape it into a large ball. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes.  (I use dough hook on mixer)

4. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a draft-free place to let it proof, or rise, for 1 1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in volume.

5. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Once the dough has risen, punch it down. Roll the dough into a 10 x 20 inch rectangle. Cut dough into three long strips with a pizza cutter.  Spread the filling on each strip of dough. Fold the strips in half covering the filling. Pat dough down firmly so the dough will stick together and gently stretch from both ends.  Press the tops of the strips together and braid the strips. Gently stretch the braid so that it measures 20 inches again. Shape it into a circle/oval and press the edges together.  Gently lay the braided dough on a parchment lined or nonstick cookie sheet and let it rise until it doubles in size, about 30 minutes.

6. Once it's doubled in size, place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake until the braid is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

7. For the icing, while the cake is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a bowl until the icing is smooth and very spreadable. If the icing is too thick, add a bit more milk; if it’s a touch too loose, add a little more powdered sugar.

8. Once the cake has cooled, spread the icing over the top of the cake and sprinkle with purple, green, and gold decorative sugars while the icing is still wet. Tuck the fève or plastic baby into the underside of the cake and, using a spatula, slide the cake onto a platter.

—Adapted from John Besh recipe

I hope you try it and enjoy!!

My 1st Homemade King Cake

!!UPDATED RECIPE click HERE!!

Last year after my sister made her second homemade King Cake, I searched online for the perfect recipe (for me that means one with NO filling), but never got around to making one.  We have already enjoyed two store bought King Cakes this year one from Gambino's in Baton Rouge and one from Mandeville Bake Shop (my all time favorite, thanks MOM).   Then my friend Liz posted about a King Cake she made Sunday, so I decided this was the week to do it.  

I decided to try John Besh's recipe first... 3 of the 4 recipes I saved were similar to this one.  It was really easier then I thought it was going to be.  The cake is super soft and has great texture.   Keith LOVED it, but I think it has to much nutmeg (I put 1tsp) or maybe I just need to omit the nutmeg because I think I used to just cinnamon.  I just LOVE Mardi Gras time :)

JOHN BESH'S KING CAKE (Serves 10–12)  

As you knead the dough for this Mardi Gras cake, watch for it to begin to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl. If that doesn’t happen (because the moisture content in flour fluctuates with the humidity), add a spoonful or two more flour.

For the cake:

1 cup lukewarm milk, about 110°

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons dry yeast

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup melted butter

5 egg yolks, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest

3 teaspoons cinnamon

Several gratings of fresh nutmeg (I used 1tsp)

For the icing:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup condensed milk

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Purple, green, and gold decorative sugars

1 fève (fava bean) or plastic baby to hide in the cake after baking

1. For the cake, pour the warm milk into a large bowl. Whisk in the granulated sugar, yeast, and a heaping tablespoon of the flour, mixing until both the sugar and the yeast have dissolved.

2. Once bubbles have developed on the surface of the milk and it begins to foam, whisk in the butter, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the remaining flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg and fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a large rubber spatula.

3. After the dough comes together, pulling away from the sides of the bowl, shape it into a large ball. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes.

4. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a draft-free place to let it proof, or rise, for 1 1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in volume.

5. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough between your palms into a long strip, making 3 ropes of equal length. Braid the 3 ropes around one another and then form the braided loaf into a circle, pinching ends together to seal. Gently lay the braided dough on a nonstick cookie sheet and let it rise until it doubles in size, about 30 minutes.

6. Once it's doubled in size, place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake until the braid is golden brown, about 30 minutes (I checked mine at 15mins and it was done). Remove the cake from the oven, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

7. For the icing, while the cake is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, condensed milk, and lemon juice in a bowl until the icing is smooth and very spreadable. If the icing is too thick, add a bit more condensed milk; if it’s a touch too loose, add a little more powdered sugar.

8. Once the cake has cooled, spread the icing over the top of the cake and sprinkle with purple, green, and gold decorative sugars while the icing is still wet. Tuck the fève or plastic baby into the underside of the cake and, using a spatula, slide the cake onto a platter.

—From "My New Orleans" by John Besh/Andrews McMeel Publishing 

The Many Sweets of Christmas

White Chocolate topped Gingerbread Cookies

Homemade Marshmallows & Homemade Instant Hot Chocolate 

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie

Johnny's Pralines

Chocolate Covered Pretzels & Chocolate Covered Candy Canes

Chocolate Covered Homemade Marshmallows

Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies

Tiger Bark

Almond Cookies (a new recipe I tried from a cookbook I have, not one we will make again)

 Two more cookies are coming before Christmas, I hope :)  

Tiger Bark

My mom started making this for Christmas a couple years ago.  It is so GOOD and quick and easy to make. Grady told us today it is the best cookie ever, before we made these he was saying that the Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie were the best.

Tiger Bark
(Alysia Fortier, The Tent Man)

12 double graham crackers
7 squares white almond bark
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 squares chocolate almond bark

Directions:
Line a 10”x 15” pan with wax paper.  Lay graham crackers top side down into the pan, butting up to each other.

Melt 6 squares of white almond bark with peanut butter in microwave until smooth.  Pour and spread over cracker.

Melt 2 squares chocolate and drizzle over crackers. Melt 1 square white almond bark and drizzle on top.  Using toothpick, swirl into marble pattern. Chill for 10 minutes until firm.  Break into irregular pieces.

Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies

In 2008 Keith and I were trying to find a Christmas Cookies that Grady could really help us make.  We found these Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies and they have become a Christmas favorite for us.

Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies 

Gourmet | December 2006

Yield: Makes about 7 dozen cookies

Active Time: 30 min

Total Time: 4 hr

2/3 cup hazelnuts

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

6 oz fine-quality bittersweet

chocolate (no more than 60% cacao if marked), finely chopped

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup confectioners sugar

Special equipment: parchment paper

Make dough:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan in oven until skins split and nuts are pale golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven (turn oven off), then wrap hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and rub to remove any loose skins. Cool nuts completely. Pulse nuts with granulated sugar in a food processor until finely chopped.

Melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water or in top of a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and set aside.

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in melted chocolate until combined. Add milk and vanilla, beating to incorporate. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in nut mixture. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill dough until firm, 2 to 3 hours.

Form and bake cookies:

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl. Halve dough and chill 1 half, wrapped in plastic wrap. Roll remaining half into 1-inch balls, placing them on a sheet of wax paper as rolled. Roll balls, 3 or 4 at a time, in confectioners sugar to coat generously and arrange 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets.

Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are puffed and cracked and edges feel dry (but centers are still slightly soft), 12 to 18 minutes total. Transfer cookies (still on parchment) to racks to cool completely.

While first batch is baking, roll remaining dough into balls. Line cooled cookie sheets with fresh parchment, then coat balls with confectioners sugar and bake in same manner.

Cooks' note:

Cookies keep, layered between sheets of parchment or wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature 5 days.

Johnny's Pralines

My parents went to cooking class once and learned how to make pralines.  Since then my dad makes  pralines every Christmas.   One year Keith got a lesson from my dad and now Keith also likes to make  pralines each Christmas.

Here are the boys helping us taste test them.

Johnny’s Pralines 

USE A CANDY THERMOMETER

Ingredients
1 ½ C sugar
6 TBSP butter (3/4 stick)
¾ C light brown sugar
1 ½ C pecans
½ C milk
1 Tsp vanilla


• Use stainless steel pot not aluminum.

• Combine all ingredients and bring to a “softball stage”* 238-240 degrees (about 3 min on med. heat after rolling boil)

• Remove from heat and stir constantly (A WOODEN SPOON)

• Stir until mixture thickens, becomes creamy and cloudy, and pecans stay suspended in mixture.

• Spoon out on buttered waxed paper (on newspaper), aluminum foil, or parchment paper.

• If starts hardening too fast to drop correctly. You should then stir in about 1 - 2 tablespoons of hot water to thin the mixture

Softball stage: drop mixture in glass of cold water, push to side forms softball- see a soft ball form when it hits the water. Replace water to try again.