Angeletti Cookies- Round Two

Remember this post from Thanksgiving two years ago?  And then this semi failure first round?  Well I finally got around to trying another recipe that I found on Real Simple, but this one's frosting did not have any anise in it.  I made it up by dividing the amount of vanilla in half and using anise extract for the other half.  

I had to get these sprinkles, they were so pretty! 

The frosting was really tasty, but I didn't mix up enough of it.  I always have too much most of the time so I halved it.  I don't advise it on this recipe.  It's too tasty to not have the cookies completely covered.  I think these cookies without the frosting were better than my Thanksgiving mother's cookies.  Maybe if I had the frosting right, they might have been close to perfection.  Much better than round one. 


Angeletti Cookies
makes about 24 cookies

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter,
• melted
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and
• leveled, plus more for rolling the dough
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Glaze:

• 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon anise extract plus a teanny bit more- overflow
• 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• sprinkles, for decoration (optional)

1.  Heat oven to 375° F. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and eggs until blended.  Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined (do not over mix).  
3. With floured hands, roll level tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. 
4. Bake until puffed and the bottoms are pale golden, 7 to 8 minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool completely. 
5. Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and the vanilla until the mixture forms a thick but pourable glaze (add more water if necessary). 
6. Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze and let set, rounded side up, on a rack set over a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle the tops.   Allow the glaze to set, about 20 minutes.

Enjoy! 

The Best Way to Use Brown Bananas

Whenever I buy bananas, I rarely make it throw the whole bunch and have one that gets over ripe and ends up in the freezer.  Every few months I have a stock pile and have to throw out a number of freezer burned ones, there are usually enough left over for one of my favorite baked goods ever. Ever.  My mom started this frenzy, but she doesn't stock piles the bananas in the freezer forever.  It's on par with her cinnamon rolls.  Every time it's a wonderful treat. 

Baking wise, I'm pretty sure you can't screw it up.  You can use new bananas, but the more mushy they are the better.  Mom typically mixed this up with the last bananas of the bunch.  I have a habit of forgetting the walnuts until the frosting is done and have to sprinkle them on top.  This time I remembered and put them in the batter and in the frosting.  And naturally, I did have some shortening but I didn't open it to see how much so I didn't buy anymore.  In the middle of mixing things up I went to three different delis in the yucky rainy weather before finding more.  Still so yummy and worth it. 

Any guesses to what it is?   

The most amazing thing ever.

Banana Cake! 
Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 mashed bananas
• 1/2 milk
• 1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

 Frosting:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups powdered sugar (more or less)
• 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. In an large bowl cream together the sugar and shortening.  Add the vanilla and eggs.  Beat until fluffy.  Add the bananas and milk.  Mix until combined. 
3. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl.  Slowly add to the banana mix.  Mix in walnuts.
4. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. 
5. Cool well before frosting.
6. To make the frosting mix everything except the sugar. Slowly add the sugar in cup by cup and stir until smooth.  Mix until spreadable but not runny.   Add in walnuts.  Spread over cooled cake.

Enjoy!

Prepping for the Lemon-Off: Lemon Cake

In just a few short weeks we will be having a Lemon-Off in Battle Hill.  I absolutely love lemon and have been seeing a bunch of recipes for sweet and savory lemon dishes. My cravings hit a high and I decided it was time for another bake/cook-off.  I was thinking that I may make this cake and, since I had not made it before, figured I should try it out first.  It is delicious and tasty but perhaps not creative enough for our little neighborhood battle.  The lemon flavor was strong, but I would have liked it to be stronger, like it's soaked in lemon juice.  It was really easy to make and I will definitely make it again.

  Cake:

• 1 lemon
• 3 cups  all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons  baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon  salt
• 1 cup  milk
• 1 container (6 ounces)  lemon yogurt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1-3/4 cups  sugar
• 3 large  eggs

  Frosting

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 16 ounces confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons  lemon juice (from Cake) 

Cake:

1. Heat oven to 350°. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line pans with waxed paper (Trace cake pan on waxed paper. Cut out circle; repeat for second pan. Fit waxed paper circles into bottoms of greased pans); spray paper.
2. Zest lemon peel (about 2 teaspoons). Juice lemon.
3. In medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a measuring cup, whisk together milk, yogurt and vanilla. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
4. On low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture. Beat well after each addition. 
5. Fold in zest. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
6. Bake layers at 350° for 35 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed lightly. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully invert cake layers directly onto racks, remove and discard waxed paper and let layers cool completely.

Frosting:

1. Once layers are cool, beat butter, 1 cup of the confectioners sugar, the reserved lemon juice (about 2 tablespoons) and 2 tablespoons water in a large bowl until smooth. 
2. Gradually beat in remaining confectioners sugar until good spreading consistency.  
3. To frost cake, place one layer on a plate or stand. Spread top of layer with 1 cup frosting. Stack second cake layer on first and begin frosting side of cake. Continue around side of cake, then finish top, swirling decoratively. 
4. Serve immediately or refrigerate before slicing and serving. 

Enjoy!