Back to BasicsPatti - October 10, 2017
My Favorite Recipes
You know the drill: you want to make chocolate chip cookies or vanilla cupcakes, so you google a recipe. Sometimes they come out perfectly, but sometimes they turn out less than yummy. But you can never remember which recipe is which. So here is a round-up of my favorite recipes for basic desserts. I have tested them many times and they have always turned out. As a bonus, all the ingredients are available in Switzerland*.
*Except vanilla extract. Buy lots of vanilla extract before moving to Switzerland. And brown sugar. But there's a substitute for that!
Sugar Cookies
This recipe was a wedding gift from my mom’s best friend, whose Christmas cookies were in high demand every year. She passed away recently, and every time I make these, I think of her wonderful legacy of love and kindness.
Ingredients:
½ cup oleo*
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsps vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
3 ½ cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
*or shortening; Pflanzenfett if you're in Europe
Instructions:
1. Cream oleo, butter, and sugar.
2. Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat until fluffy.
3. Stir in flour and baking powder.
4. Chill 4-5 hours.
5. Roll and cut out cookies.
6. Bake for 9-10 minutes at 375 °F.
Yield: 3 dozen
Royal Icing
I am by no means an icing expert yet, but this recipe is a good basic one for decorating that uses egg whites instead of meringue powder. Because I am too cheap to buy meringue powder. Plus, I haven’t found it in Switzerland yet. Not that I’ve looked.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-friends/how-to-make-royal-icing-without-meringue-powder/
Vanilla Cupcakes
I know, never trust a recipe that says it’s the best, but seriously; these are the best birthday cupcakes ever.
http://www.thecreativebite.com/best-birthday-cupcakes/
Buttercream Frosting
The same blogger just happens to have the best recipe for vanilla buttercream!
http://www.thecreativebite.com/perfect-piping-buttercream-recipe/
Chocolate Cupcakes
I don’t know the science behind cake vs. cupcake recipes, but I have also used this recipe for a miniature chocolate cake and it worked just fine.
https://prettysimplesweet.com/ultimate-chocolate-cupcakes/
Chocolate Frosting
This recipe depends a bit on taste. I personally like really rich dark chocolate and find this recipe a good balance of sweet and bitter. But my mother, who prefers milk chocolate, does not like it at all. This link actually goes to the chocolate cupcake recipe listed above because, again, this blogger managed to get both recipes spot on.
https://prettysimplesweet.com/ultimate-chocolate-cupcakes/
Chocolate Chip Cookies
I think this recipe came from allrecipes.com. Anyway, it works, so I make it. Chocolate chips are expensive here so I chop up bars of cheap dark chocolate instead ($0.60/100g vs. $1.60/100g).
Ingredients:
1 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsps vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps hot water
½ tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions:
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
Yield: 3 dozen cookies
Brownies
My sister actually accidentally invented this one when she misread a recipe and melted chocolate chips instead of just throwing them into the batter. They come out fudgy, but get slightly hard after a few days, so just go ahead and eat them warm. Again, I just melt dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips.
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
½ cup shortening or butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
⅔ cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ cups chocolate chips
Instructions:
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean (or not, they're delicious underbaked).
8. Allow to cool for 25 minutes. (Actually don't. Just eat them warm. Preferably with ice cream.)
Thanks for visiting, and enjoy your baking!