Monday, January 6, 2014

Edible Shortbread spoons with lemon curd and a blackberry

There is something endearing about an edible spoon. I have never made them before and now that I have made these I only want to make them. I want to make chocolate ones, and sundried tomato basil ones, and I want to use them with my coffee... I'm a little obsessed. These are vanilla shortbread cookies with a dollop of lemon curd and a blackberry. 


Here is what you need:

2 1/2 cups of flour
3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of butter (softened to a cool room temperature)
2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 Tablespoons of cream cheese  (softened to a cool room temperature)

Here is what you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
2. Using a standing mixer add all of the ingredients
3. Squich all the dough into two fat patties, wrap in plastic cling wrap and place in the fridge.
4. One at a time roll out the dough to about 1/3 to 1/4 of an inch thick and cut with cookie cutters.
5. Place on parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes. Or until the edges turn a slight golden color. They shouldn't get brown.
6. Cool completely before decorating, adorn as desired. I put about 1/2 a teaspoon of store-bought but good quality lemon curd and topped each one with a plump juicy blackberry. 


They were a hit at the party. We didn't have any left over. 

As always, many blessings, much love, and happy baking!

Three Elegant Easy Assemble Appetizers


Normally when I through a party I don't go in for the little finger foods, I usually make one big dish and let everyone serve themselves family style, like a ham or a lasagna. But when dining as they do in Downton, I thought petite snacks were in order. Since I do not have a maid, a cook, and a butler full time attending to my needs, I had to find easy, delicious appetizers. These three appetizers are easily prepped the night before a party, and then simply assembled just before the party. 

Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rounds

1 English cucumber
1 small packet of smoked salmon 
8 oz of smoked salmon dip (ask your fish counter person) 
8 oz of cream cheese (softened) 

The night before

1. Using a mandolin for easy and even slices cut the cucumber, store in cool water over night in the refrigerator in container with a lid. 
2. Using a small cookie cutter, or just a knife cut the smoked salmon and store in an air tight container in the fridge. 
3. Mix the smoked salmon dip and the cream cheese, place in a pastry bag with a star tip in a ziploc bag. 

Just before the party

4. Lay the cucumber pieces on a platter, top with smoked salmon, dollop or pipe on the dip. 

Roast Beef and Onion Marmalade Canapes

1 wheat baguette sliced (ask the bakery to cut it for you) 
1/2 pound of garlic and herb roast beef (thin sliced from the deli counter) 
onion marmalade (or make your own, with 1 onion, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper) 

The night before

1. Store your sliced baguette in a plastic bag so that it does not dry out. 
2. Lay out the roast beef flat and cut into approximately 3 inch by 3 inch pieces. That meant for me, laying all of the pieces on top of each other and making two cuts, to cut each piece into thirds. Store in the fridge in a zip lock bag. 
3. Make the onion marmalade: caramelize the onions on medium heat with salt and pepper, stirring occasionally. Add the sugar and stir to prevent scorching. Once the sugar has melted, off the heat add the vinegar. Store in an air tight container in the fridge. 

Just before the party

4.  Lay the baguette slices on a platter, top with roast beef, dollop on the onion marmalade. 

English Cheddar and Major Grey Chutney Canapes

1 baguette sliced (ask the bakery to cut it for you) 
1/2 pound of good english cheddar
Major Grey Chutney

The night before

1. Store your sliced baguette in a plastic bag so that it does not dry out. 
2. Slice the cheese into half inch thickness, don't worry so much about the length, a good quality cheddar will break a little bit. Store in the fridge in a zip lock bag. 
3. Leave the chutney in the jar, just don't forget where you put it. 

Just before the party

4.  Lay the baguette slices on a platter, top with cheese, dollop on the chutney. 


As always, much love, many blessings, and happy party. 

Downton Abbey Tea Shortbread

My husband loves Downton Abbey, we both do. For his birthday party we had all of our friends dress up and enjoy a party "Downton" style. I loved it. And of course we had to have tea. Twinnings English Breakfast is my favorite but to make tea a little more special I added a heart shaped cookie perched on every tea cup. I decorated them with white chocolate and edible pearls and edible gold dust, but truth be told you could make this shortbread for anything, it cuts and bakes beautifully.

Here is what you need:
2 1/2 cups of flour
3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of butter (softened to a cool room temperature)
2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 Tablespoons of cream cheese  (softened to a cool room temperature)

Here is what you do:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
2. Using a standing mixer add all of the ingredients
3. Squich all the dough into two fat patties, wrap in plastic cling wrap and place in the fridge.
4. One at a time roll out the dough to about 1/3 to 1/4 of an inch thick and cut with cookie cutters.
5. Place on parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes. Or until the edges turn a slight golden color. They shouldn't get brown.
6. Cool completely before decorating, adorn as desired.

As always, much love, many blessings, and happy Downton.