Bon Appetit Lemony Sandwich Cookies

An afternoon tea was just what I needed this last week. With the beautiful weather we have been enjoying this winter, I was eager to enjoy an afternoon tea on the porch.

You can’t serve tea by itself so I decided to make lemon cream filled sandwich cookies to enjoy on the porch in the sunshine. However, I chose the day that it decided to rainy and drop 20 degrees to set up my tea. At first I had high hopes that it would just gently rain and we would still be able to eat outside; eventually the wind picked up and the rain started to come under the porch and I decided to move my tea inside. I did manage to take a few pictures!

These little cookies are perfect with tea or coffee. They consist of a lightly lemon flavored sugar cookie and a lemon butter cream filling.

I found this recipe in a Bon Appetite magazine from a year or two ago. It was intended to replicate a recipe from a restaurant that served a similar cookie and a reader had requested the recipe.

A few changes that I made to the original recipe include the addition of vanilla extract to the butter cream filling and the cookie dough. I also reduced the amount of sugar in the cookie dough and frosting in order to make the cookies be a little "tangy", like anything lemon flavored should be. I also made extra lemon juice reduction and added it to the butter cream filling for more lemony flavor. Add more flavor and reduce sugar... my two goals when baking.

Lemony Sandwich Cookies

(adapted from Bon Appetite magazine recipe)

Lemon Sugar Cookie

2/3 c. fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp. finely grated lemon peel

3 3/4 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 egg whites (Can substitute 1 whole egg for the egg whites without affecting texture)

Boil lemon juice and lemon peel in a small saucepan until mixture is reduced to 3 tablespoons. Pour into small bowl and cool.

Sift flour, salt, and baking soda into medium bowl.

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add sugar; beat until blended. Beat in eggs one at a time, then beat in yolks. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice reduction. Add dry ingredients and stir to combine. Cover dough and chill until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 3/8" thickness. Using a 2" cutter, cut out 48 cookies.

Bake cookies until golden at edges, about 12 minutes. Let cookies fully cool before spreading filling.

Lemon Butter Cream

1 1/2 tbsp. finely grated lemon peel

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Using back of spoon, mash lemon peel and salt to paste in medium bowl. Add butter and reserved 1 tablespoon of lemon reduction. Using electric mixer, beat until fluffy. Add sugar in 3 batches, beating after each addition until blended.

Spread 2 teaspoons filling on flat side of 1 cookie. Top with another cookie, flat side down.

These cookies can be made 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

My Hawiian German's Chocolate Cake

Do you know that out of the twenty-something cookbooks I own (yes, I’m an addict and I admit it) only one cookbook contained a recipe for German Chocolate cake? I thought it was a classic!
And did you know that it is German’s cake, not German cake, as in not a cultural identity but a singular person?
Bakers’ German’s Chocolate was introduced in the early 1900s and the recipe for German’s Chocolate Cake was a promotion to use their brand of chocolate.

In all honesty, the only reason I called this Hawaiian was because I used macadamia nuts instead of pecans. The only reason I did that was because pecans were more expensive than the Hawaiian grown macadamia nuts. So yeah, there’s not much difference from a traditional recipe. I could have called this recipe German’s Chocolate Cake Inspired By The Outrageous Price Of Pecans... but I thought it overly dramatic.
Another difference from a traditional recipe is the frosting. In addition to the traditional frosting, which consists of a caramel, coconut, pecan mixture, I topped the cake with a chocolate ganache for extra flavor and richness. It also helps keep the cake from drying out.
I have included a basic chocolate cake recipe with macadamia nuts substituted instead of pecans in the frosting and the chocolate ganache recipe I used.

Sabre’s “Hawaiian” German Chocolate Cake
I cheated and used a boxed chocolate cake mix (really). You can use a boxed cake mix or you can make your own. if you feel like making your own, here is a basic recipe.

Cake
Makes one 13” x 9” or two 8” round cakes
2 c. cake flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
5 tbsp. boiling water
1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 eggs. 1/2 milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift together into a medium bowl flour, baking powder, and salt.
Melt the unsweetened chocolate over low heat, in a double boiler, or in a microwave. Add the boiling water to the chocolate.
Cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add the cooled chocolate mixture. add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 parts alternatively with the milk. Flavor with vanilla.
Pour into cake pans. Bake for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

Filling
2 eggs
10 oz. condense milk
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. toasted macadamia nuts, chopped
2 c. toasted coconut

Beat together eggs, condensed milk, and sugar in a small sauce pan. Heat together over low heat. Bring to a slow boil and allow to cook until thickened and caramel-like. Stir in toasted nuts and coconut. Use in between and on top of cake layers.

Chocolate Ganache
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 c. heavy whipping cream

In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium low heat until hot but not boiling. Pour in chocolate and let sit for a few minutes. Stir gently until well combined. Used while warm to frost cake or dip stuffed cupcakes in for easy frosting. Cover entire cake, filling and all with this ganache while still warm. Allow plenty of time to set up or place in the refrigerator to set.

Raspberry Espresso Swirl Cheesecake

Is this blog just a tease? Maybe.

This week I found out that I can make people drool, especially after they’ve had a very satisfying dinner and in need of dessert. My family and i were eating out and I was telling them about my latest cooking adventure (cheesecake) and the raspberry-coffee combination that resulted in the following recipe. I told everyone that I meant to bring the cheesecake but that it probably wouldn’t have made the car ride (since it has been an unusually warm winter) and my family replied with grumbles and complaints.

"why did you even tell me about it?"

So I promised to bring them some cheesecake the next day. I made plans to bring it by my dad’s work so he could take it to my brother’s house to share (however, while my dad arrived I have heard rumors that the cheesecake never did).

I am normally so excited to share recipes with you. This week I hesitate to share this recipe with you after seeing the anguish it caused my family. I hope you make plans to bake this cheesecake so you won’t have dreams of creamy cheesecakes haunting you at night.

This is a baked cheesecake. In my opinion baked is the way to go. I know it seems more difficult than the fridge/freezer versions, but the flavor doesn’t even come close to a baked version. If you’re not a coffee fan, substitute orange juice, lime juice or milk for the coffee/espresso.

Raspberry Swirl Espresso Cheesecake

1 3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs

1/2 c. butter, melted

1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese

1 - 15 oz riccota cheese

3/4 c. sugar

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 espresso (2 shots) or very strong coffee

1 c. fresh or frozen raspberries

1 tbsp. honey

Preheat oven to 350F. For crust, in a bowl combine crumbs with butter. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9" spring form pan; set aside.

for filling, in a large bowl beat room temperature cream cheese and ricotta cheese with sugar, vanilla, eggs (one at a time) and cooled espresso or coffee. Pour filling into crust-lined pan.

For swirl, in a small saucepan over low heat cook raspberries and honey until softened. Mash with the back of your spoon. If desired, puree and sieve for a smooth texture and to remove the raspberry seeds.

Dot the cheese filling with the raspberry sauce and swirl with a toothpick.

Bake the cheesecake for 40 to 50 minutes until a 2 inch area around the outside edge appears set when gently shaken.

Cool in pan for 15 minutes. using a small sharp knife, loosen the crust from sides of pan; cool for 30 additional minutes. Remove sides of pan; cool cheesecake completely on rack. Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving.