Key Lime Bars

I've been craving lime for the past little while. At Metrotown, I recently had a Key Lime Pie flavored Yogen-Fruz: natural lime flavored extract and graham cracker crumbs.It reminded me of the time in California where Rebecca, her mom, and I had Key Lime Pies (twice.. maybe three times) for dessert in the course of a week. Haha.

And when Daddy was scheduled for a visit, it seemed the perfect thing to make.
He apparently likes tart things.

The bars turned out wonderful - thanks to the fresh lime juice and zest, I think.
But it was too sweet for Daddy :(

Key Lime Bars
from The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

Crust
5 oz (2 1/2 cups) graham crackers
3 tbsp light brown sugar
pinch of salt
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp grated fresh lime zest
pinch of salt
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from 3 limes)

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with a foil sling and grease the foil.

For the crust: Process the graham crackers, sugar and salt together in a food processor to fine crumbs, about 15 seconds. Drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs and pulse to incorporate, about 10 pulses. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer with the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake the crust until fragrant and deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

For the filling: Stir the cream cheese, zest and salt together in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Whisk in the egg yolk and lime juice until combined. Pour the filling evenly over the crust. Bake the bars until set and the edges begin to pull away slightly from the sides of the pan, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Let the bars cool completely in the pan, set on a wire rack, about 2 hours, then cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours. Remove the bars from the pan using foil, cut into squares.

Variation: Triple-Citrus Bars. Reduce the amount of lime zest to 1 1/2 tsp and combine with 1 1/2 tsp each grated fresh lemon zest and orange zest. Reduce the amount of lime juice to 6 tbsp and combine with 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1 tbsp orange juice.

Richard Bertinet's White Dough

 

There's a story behind this.

The book was a library book. I had borrowed it during the school term but as papers and exams came crept up on me, I never got around to baking anything from it. But I didn't want to return it - just yet. I ended up renewing the book 3 times: the maximum number of times I recently realized (and probably would have renewed it again had I been allowed).

What intrigued me was Richard Bertinet's "kneading" technique. He explained that American bakers knead their dough on a "lightly" floured surface, ending up with much more flour than as stated in the recipe,  altering the final product. His method was to repeatedly stretch the dough and trap air inside, eliminating the need for any extra flour. It made perfect sense. The complementary CD made it look so simple.

On the day I finally got around to baking bread, I was ecstatic. I had the CD playing on my laptop in front of me while I was "kneading" my dough. I admit, it was a bit of a challenge. I had to replay the clip 3 times to finally get the dough to the state it was supposed to be in. But I knew all that work would be worth it in the end. So you see how frustrated I was when the dough failed to rise (at all) even after an hour and a half in a warm place. I called the book stupid. I blamed the author. I was not impressed.

I didn't want to waste my bread flour that I bought for the first time and since I was halfway to the finish line, I decided to continue on and see what happened. Afterall, as long as it was edible... right? So I divided the dough in two and waited another hour. And when I flipped back my tea towel, I was in shock. The bread had risen! It had worked. Who knows what happened during the first rising but... in the end, all turned out well. When the oven timer went off and I pulled my bread out of the oven, it was love at first sight. I might even buy the book now. Unless I find another bread book I fall in love with.

This might be my favorite bread recipe - yet.

chewyyy

White Dough
from Richard Bertinet's Dough: Simple Contemporary Breads

10g (1 1/2 tsp) fresh/active dry yeast
18 oz (3 3/4 - 3 7/8 cups) white bread flour
10g (about 2 tsp) fine-grain salt
13 fl. oz in a measuring cup (1 - 1 1/2 cups) water

Rub the yeast into the flour using your fingertips as if making a crumble. Add the salt and water. Hold the bowl with one hand and mix the ingredients around with the other for 2-3 minutes until the dough starts to form.

Make the dough according to this method: 1) Slide your fingers underneath with your thumbs on top 2) Swing the dough upwards then slap it down away from you 3) Stretch the front of the dough towards you 4) Lift it back over itself in an arc to trap in the air. Continue until a smooth dough forms.

Form into a ball by folding each edge in turn onto the center of the dough and pressing down well with your thumb, rotating the ball as you go. Turn the whole ball over and stretch and tuck the edges over. Put in floured bowl and sprinkle flour on top. Let rest for around 1 hour, until it is roughly double in volume.

To shape into loaves: flatten the ball of dough a little with the heel of your hands. Fold on edge into the center and press down with the heel of your hand. Fold the other edge over into the center and press down again. Fold over in half and then press down again firmly to seal the edges. Turn over and place (seam-side down) in a greased loaf pan and let rise 1 - 1 1/2 hours until the loaves have nearly doubled.

Preheat the oven to 475 F/250 C. Turn down the heat to 425 F/220 C and bake for 20-25min.

Homemade Chocolate Truffles

I didn't think it was possible.

For one thing, it didn't look possible.

on a bed of coconut

But these looked exactly like the French truffles sold at Costco - although obviously, they wouldn't taste the same.

Nevertheless, not bad - for a kid's book. Did I mention my new found craze for children's cookbooks? Not all of course, but some are nice and easy to follow with lots & lots of pictures - which I believe every cookbook should have. It really makes a difference. After all, how do you know what your finished product will look like? Step-by-step pictures are helpful but as long as there is one decent picture of the finished product, it has my seal of approval.  

Homemade Chocolate Truffles

by Angela Wilkes' Children's Quick & Easy Cook Book

¼ cup cream or curd cheese (I used cream cheese)
½ cup chopped nuts

½ cup confectioner’s sugar

¼ cup cocoa powder

[coating: cocoa powder, dried coconut, chocolate sprinkles]



Put the cream cheese, chopped nuts, confectioner’s sugar, and cocoa powder in a bowl and mix together. Put the cocoa, coconut, and sprinkles for the coating on three plates or shallow bowls. Roll the mixture into small balls. Roll the truffles in the cocoa powder, coconut, or sprinkles, to coat them. Put the truffles in paper candy liners (which I didn't bother with. They're fine in a zip lock bag)

Coconut Custard Meringue Pie

I've recently developed a trick: as I shelve away at the library, whenever a book catches my eye, I take it out and leave it on the side so I can grab it after my shift is over.

Since anything pie-ish has been on my agenda, a certain book full of scrumptious looking pies caught my attention. Called "Sweety Pies", the cover is "sweet" - no pun intended. It's nicely divided into sections: Berry Pies, Cream & Custard Pies, Fruit Pies... just to name a few.

Eye-catching cover, no?

When I asked my mom to choose something, the winner was.. (unsurprisingly)
"Coconut Custard Meringue Pie". What was surprising (which shouldn't have, if I looked closely at the ingredients), it tasted just like the Homemade Almond Joy.

Coconut Custard Meringue Pie
from Patty Pinner's Sweety Pies

One 9'' single Pie Crust

1 cup sugar (I halved this but even that was too sweet - for me, anyway)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups whole milk
3 egg yolks
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp butter

3 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare the pie crust and fully prebake. Set asdie.

Make the filling: in a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in the milk until well blended. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to boil. Remove from the heat.

In a medium-size bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Slowly stir about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture into the beaten egg yolks. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut, extracts, and butter until the butter melts and is thoroughly incorporated. Pour the filling into the pie crust.

Make the meringue: in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually beat in the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, and the cornstarch, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat until shiny, stiff peaks form.

Mound the meringue in the center of the pie, then spread it evenly around the edge of the inner crust, sealing the meringue to the crust. Use a spoon to create a design of peaks and valleys all over the meringue. Sprinkle the coconut evenly over the meringue. Place in the oven and bake until the meringue is a luscious golden brown and the coconut is toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. (I'd say even shorter. Keep an eye on the pie!) Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Quiche Lorraine

Quiche is one of my favorite dishes but I don't get to have it very often.
The frozen ones they sell at the supermarket don't look very appetizing either.
And I had one of those pie shells hanging around the freezer..
As much as it is fail-proof, I don't get the full satisfaction - just like my Lemon Meringue Pie
(Note to self: stop buying pie shells)

Working with ingredients other than the same old butter, sugar, and flour was fun.
Onions, gruyère cheese, and bacon.
Mmm... bacon...

One thing I realized though: quiche is pretty much Korean 계란찜 (gae-ran-zzim. steamed egg) + other ingredients on a pie crust.

Quiche Lorraine
adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

1 9-inch pie shell eg Tenderflake
1 cup heavy cream
4 eggs, beaten
4 slices of bacon, chopped
1 onion, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh chives
1 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded

Prepare pie shell using directions on box.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream and parsley; season with salt and pepper.

Fry chopped bacon in skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and pour off all but 2 tsp of the bacon fat. Add 1 minced onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat until lightly browned. Stir the cooked bacon and onion into the egg mixture. Add shredded cheese.

Pour the egg mixture in the cooked and cooled pie crust.

Place on a baking sheet, in preheated oven (375 F/ 190 C), and cook for 50 - 55 minutes. [Note: Pull the quiche out of the oven before it is completely set, as it will continue to cook and set as it cools] Let cool for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Lemon Meringue Pie

A lemon memory: my cousin Y- ate them like you would eat an orange.

I kid you not.
Wish I took some pictures as evidence.

Lemon Meringue Pie has been on my agenda for quite awhile now.
Never got around to it.

Before the trip to the oven. Obviously :)

After the trip to the oven. Obviously :)

To be honest, I was am (still) skeptical of my pie-making abilities.
Last time I tried making pie-crust.. let's just say.. I failed
Solution: short-crust pastry (which turned out to be.. puff pastry.)
Great.

After a quick run to the store, I had in my hands a  9'' pie shell.
Yes, I cheated.

I promise for next time, I'll start from scratch.

Lemon Meringue Pie

from 500 Fabulous Cakes and Bakes

1 9-inch pie shell eg Tenderflake
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 cup plus 1 tbsp cold water
1/2 cup caster sugar plus 6 tbsp extra
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp cornflour
3 eggs, separated
pinch of salt

Prepare pie shell using directions on box.

In a saucepan, combine the lemon rind and juice with 1 cup of the water, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the butter. Bring to boil. Dissolve the cornflour in the remaining water. Add the egg yolks. Beat into the lemon mixture, return to boil and whisk until thick, about 5 minutes. Cover the surface with greaseproof paper and leave to cool. Pour into the baked, cooled crust.

For the meringue, beat the egg whites with the salt and extra sugar on medium-high speed until glossy and stiffly peaking.

Spoon the lemon mixture into the pastry case. Spoon the meringue on top, making sure it adheres to the crust (so that it does not expose the curd). Bake until golden, 12-15 minutes. Before serving, let the pie cool until the filling has set.

Soft White Bread

Went through another 10kg of ap flour.

This time, I plan on getting bread flour.
A new adventure, that's for sure.

It makes sense though since bread is the only thing I've been baking lately.
No cookies, muffins, crumbles.. even pound cakes (gasp)

Mommy slicing the bread with my new-ish bread knife

But of course, I'll end up getting ap flour as well.
I never know when I'll need it, right?

I've been on the look out for a softer, fluffier white bread.

The Amish White Bread is yummy (and sweet) but I could do with less density.
And being an amateur baker, I have no clue how to fix it.

Hence, the new recipe.

My brother says: "It tastes like 'real' bread".
At first, I was happy to hear that. But now I'm thinking.. what's 'real' bread anyway?
I guess it translates to store-bought bread.

But enough talking.


Soft White Bread
adapted from The Fresh Loaf (submitted by kjknits)

2 C water
1/4 C butter
2 tbsp sugar
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (or 2 tsp instant yeast)
2 tsp kosher salt
6 C all purpose flour

Warm water and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 minute and 10 seconds, on high. Combine. Add sugar and yeast; let proof for a few minutes, until foamy. (When using instant yeast, mix it in with the flour) Add 3 cups of flour and salt. Using a wooden spoon, combine thoroughly. Add remaining flour 1 C at a time.

Knead for 5-6 minutes (using windowpane test if necessary). Round dough out, then place in a lightly oiled bowl, coating the top with oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough, divide in half, and form into loaves (roll starting on short side and seal edges). Place loaves in greased pans.  Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 27 minutes, or until browned and hollow-sounding when thumped.

(Amish) White Bread

So..

After I made the Honey Whole Wheat Bread my dear brother, despite eating it yummyly, complained he didn't like whole wheat.

So in order to satisfy my brother's wishes: tadaaaa.

But to be honest, that's just an excuse ;)


Amish White Bread
from allrecipes 

2 cups warm water
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour (but all-purpose works just fine) 

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

 

 
  

Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

This was the first time I made bread since my yeast-craze in September.

It was 11:00 PM when the bread came out of the oven.

In 10 minutes, half of it was gone.

Have you ever tasted warm, homemade bread just out of the oven?

Trust me. You'd want to try it.

It's that good.

Honey Whole What Bread
adapted from allrecipes.com

1 1/8 cups warm water
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast 

In a large bowl, dissolve the honey in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

Mix salt and butter into the yeast. Mix in flour. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

(I usually put a bowl of water in the microwave on high for 3 minutes and let the dough rest inside.)

Place into well oiled loaf pan. (You can allow to rise further for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans; I was running out of time so I cheated and left it for maybe 10 minutes)

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25 minutes or until bread is golden brown.

Blueberries-and-Cream Mall Muffins

Our house is overflowing with frozen berries after a summer of nothing but berry picking:

raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.

And apparently, my mom likes muffins.

I always thought pound cake was her only preference.

Well, she also said flat muffins didn't taste as good as the huge mushroom cap muffins.


Right...

Anyhow... voilà!

Blueberries-and-Cream Mall Muffins

from A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman

2 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp each pure lemon and orange extract, optional
5 cups, approximately, all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
(to substitute: 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice + milk to make 1 cup; let sit for 5 - 10 minutes)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups semi-frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 425 F. Arrange oven rack to middle position (which is the upper third of many ovens).

Generously spray a 12-cup large or standard muffin pan or a 24-cup small muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and then line with paper muffin liners. Place pan on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

In a mixer bowl, blend sugar with oil and butter. Briskly add eggs, vanilla, and other extracts. Fold in 4 coups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend somewhat before next blending in buttermilk and sour cream. Batter should be quite thick; if not, add a touch more flour. Gently fold in berries with a spatula, trying not to break them apart.

Using a large ice-cream scoop, scoop a very large amount of batter into prepared muffin cups, loading them as full as you can. You need almost a scoop and a half of batter per cup. Dust tops of mussinw tiah little sugar. (optional)

Bake 15 minutes at 425°F (220°C); then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake until muffins are golden brown and spring back when gently pressed with fingertips, about 12 to 16 more minutes. Let col 5 minutes before removing from pan.

For two 8- x 4-inch loaves, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 minutes or more, using same fingertip test for doneness.

Homemade Almond Joy

As soon as I saw this on Joy the Baker, it was destiny: I knew I had to make it.

 

My mom is a huge fan of coconut.

And every nut you can possibly think of...

 

The perfect solution: coconut + almonds

And a little condensed milk wouldn't hurt, right?

 
How about... dipped in chocolate?

Mine didn't turn out very pretty.

Whatever...

Chocolate is chocolate.


Homemade Almond Joy
from Joy the Baker 

7 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

2 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut

30 almonds

about 20 ounces (a bag and a half) of good quality semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, spread raw almonds onto a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract.  Stir in the unsweetened coconut.  The mixture will be thick.  Place mixture in the freezer for 3o minutes.  It’s easier to work with if it’s a little cold.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Remove the coconut mixture from the freezer.  With clean hands shape one tablespoon of coconut into a little log about 2 inches long and 3/4-inch thick.  Press the logs together very well so they don’t crack when dipped.

Place the log on the lined baking sheet and continue until all of the coconut mixture is gone.  Rinse hands occasionally if they get too sticky.  Press an almond on top of each coconut log.  It might not completely stick.  That’s ok.  Place the baking sheet in the fridge to chill while you melt the chocolate.

Place a medium  pot with two inches of water over a medium flame.  Bring the water to a simmer.  Place chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl and place the bowl over the simmering water.  Stir the chocolate as it melts.  Turn off the flame once the chocolate has melted but keep the bowl of melted chocolate over the hot water.

Remove the coconut candies from the fridge.  Place one coconut almond log on a fork.  Use a spoon to scoop a bit of chocolate over the almond.  This will help the almond stick to the candy and not fall off during dipping.  Lower fork into chocolate and spoon chocolate over candy to coat.  Lift fork and gently shake to release some of the chocolate.  Scrape the bottom of the fork along the side of the bowl and place on the lined baking sheet.  You might need a toothpick to help get the candy off the fork. Repeat until all candy is coated in chocolate.  If chocolate gets thick, just turn on the flame and heat slightly.

Let dipped candy harden in the fridge for 45 minutes.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.  If you need to layer the candy in a container, use waxed paper to separate the layers.

Simple Butter Cookies

These are the simplest butter cookies - ever.

It wasn't even a matter of picking and choosing. (maybe except for which cookie cutter to use)

I was visiting someone and I knew exactly what they would like :)

Simple as that.

If only the same rule applied to everything else...

The recipe is from my recipe book that I started (and stopped) writing out.

Which is why the sentences are so choppy.

Too lazy to copy word-for-word, I kept the bare essentials.

Simple Butter Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup icing sugar
2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar; beat well. Stir in flour. Mix on low. Roll in 1/4 inch. Cut using cookie cutter. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove when cooled. 

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

Cranberry Craze #3

I hate unfinished business.

So... Here we go.

Just before posting, I was just in the middle of a mini marathon of Disney songs.

My all time favorites: The Lion King, Pocahontas, Aladdin, and Beauty & the Beast...

(and what do you know, I was singing in that order..)

Random fact: I can sing A Whole New World en français :)

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
(source: unknown)

2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

Beat eggs and brown sugar in large bowl until thick and pale. Add cooking oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Combine next 3 ingredients in small bowl. Add to brown sugar mixture in 2 additions, mixing well after each addition until no dry flour remains.

Add cranberries and chocolate chips. Mix well. Chill, covered, for 1 hour. Roll into balls, using 1 tbsp for each. Arrange about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for about 10 minutes until golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Remove cookies from cookie sheets and place on wire racks to cool.

Note: I was being lazy so I stuck my cookie batter in the freezer for 15 minutes.
I'm no baking expert (especially when it comes to "chilled" cookies) but maybe this is why my cookies turned very soft.

Cranberry Cheese Muffins

Cranberry Craze #2

I know I should really be studying for my CENS (Central Eastern Northern European Studies) midterm but I haven't finished my Cranberry Craziness.

It's not that I don't want to study.
To be honest, this course is my favorite out of everything I've taken so far.

What's it about?

Err.. Representations of the Holocaust.

Yes, I know. My idea of "fun" is learning about the actions of Reserve Police Battalion 101 in the General Government of Poland during Aktion Reinhard in '42.

But.. yeah. I think I'll stop there.

Cranberry Cheese Muffins
(source: unknown)


3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme (I omitted this... because I didn't have any)

2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup cooking oil

Measure the first 8 ingredients into large bowl. Stir. Make a well in center.

Beat remaining 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Add to well. Stir until just moistened. Fill 12 greased muffin cups 3/4 cull. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes until wooden pick installed in center of muffin comes out clean. Let stand in pan for 5 minutes.
Remove muffins from pan and place on wire rack to cool.

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

Cranberry Craze #1

October 9th, 2010 was the Annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival.

My only memory of the Cranberry Festival is from last year (or maybe it the year before):
the ridiculous line-up at the free pancake breakfast. Oh, and the box of cranberry scones we devoured. So my mom and I decided not to go this year.

I had to study for midterms my one and only midterm anyway.
Or read Robert Graves’ Goodbye to All That.
Or work on my online course (Earth’s Gems and Jewels).

What ended up happening? None of the above.

Later that day, I was given a bag of fresh cranberries from someone who had been at the festival. Now, I’ve never worked with cranberries before. Berries sure, but never cranberries.
And I had no idea what to do with them.

What to do, what to do…

Answer: Bake! (what else?)

My mom had borrowed a recipe book – just on cranberries.
And that is where the Cranberry Craze began.
I ended up baking three variations of cranberry products
– all on the same day.

But I won’t bore you with all three at once.

Cranberry & Almond Biscotti
(source: unknown)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold butter, cut up
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup whole almonds

Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in center.

Beat eggs and extract with fork in small bowl until frothy. Add to well. Mix until stiff dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Shape dough into ball. Flatten slightly.

Sprinkle cranberries and almond over top. Press down lightly. Fold dough in half to enclose cranberries and almonds. Knead for 1 to 2 minutes until evenly distributed. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into 6 inch (15 cm) long log. Place logs crosswise on greased cookie sheets about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Flatten logs slightly.

Bake in 350°F (175°C) oven for about 20 minutes until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet for about 20 minutes until cool enough to handle. Using serrated knife, cut logs diagonally into 1/2 inch (12 mm) slices. Arrange evenly spaced apart on greased cookie sheets.

Reduce heat to 300°F (150°C). Bake for about 20 minutes, turning at halftime, until dry and crisp. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Remove biscotti from cookie sheets and place on wire racks to cool.