if you're up for some baking this weekend.....ummmm we have a few good recipes!

 I did some baking yesterday for a business meeting in Loudon.  I made an assortment of pastries which included lemon and strawberry tarts, cannolis, chocolate brownies and salted caramel chocolate chip cookies.  I received alot of positive feedback so I am sharing my recipes with you....  If you make any recipes and tweak anything let me know...I'm always up for improvement!!!


Cannoli's

SHELLS:

4 cups sifted all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
pinch salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup pinot grigio
canola oil for frying

FILLING:

4 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate mini chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. To make shells, mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.
2. Cut in butter.
3. Add egg yolks; stir with a fork.
4. Stir in wine, 1 tablespooon at a time
5. Form a ball with the dough  let rest for 30 minutes.
6. Roll dough very thin, on a well-floured surface.
7. Using the rim of 3 inch glass or biscuit cutter make circle imprints into rolled dough.
8. Using a paring knife, make sure circles are cut all the way through.
9. Roll each circle of dough around a metal cannoli tube, overlaping the ends and press to seal,
10. Fry one or two at a time in hot melted oil(about 360°F) for approximately 1 minute, turning to brown all sides.
11. Remove from hot grease and drain on paper towels, seam side down.
12. Let cool a minute or two before trying to remove metal tube.
13. To remove the tube hold cannoli shell down on the paper towel and carefully slide the tube out one end.
14. Leave cannoil shells on paper towel, seam side down to cool completely
15. For filling, drain ricotta cheese over cheesecloth if ricotta is watery.
16. Combine ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until combined.
17. Stir in chocolate chips into the ricotta mixture, being careful not to over mix.
18. For a lighter filling, you may whip 1 cup of heavy whipping cream to form stiff peaks, and fold into filling mixture at this step.
19. Chill filling for about 30 minutes before piping into cooled cannoli shells.
20. You may garnish the cannoli by sprinkling powdered sugar on top.
21. Whipped cream, a cherry, and shaved chocolate can also be used to garnish the top.
22. Keep refrigerated until time of serving

 LEMON TART

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup unsalted butter
• 1 Cup granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• ¾ cup white baking chips
• 1 jar (10 oz. lemon curd)

Directions:

1.   Preheat oven to 350° F.

2.   In the bowl of your mixer cream butter and sugar until smooth, at least 3 minutes

3.   Beat in extracts and egg.

4.   In a separate bowl combine baking powder and salt with flour and add a little at a time to the wet ingredients. The dough will be very stiff.

5.   Mix in white chips. Reserve 1 cup of the mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture in 10- or 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

6.   Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool 5 minutes. In small microwavable bowl, microwave lemon curd on High 20 to 30 seconds or until softened; stir until smooth and of spreading consistency. Spread to within 1 inch of crust edge. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over top of tart.

7.   Bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. To serve, cut into 12 wedges.  

SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 CUP BUTTER, SOFTENED

1 CUP WHITE SUGAR

1 CUP PACKED BROWN SUGAR

2 EGGS

2 TEASPOONS VANILLA EXTRACT

1 TSP BAKING SODA

PINCH OF SALT

3 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

2 CUPS DARK CHOCOLATE, CHOPPED

1/2 CUP SALTED CARAMEL CHIPS, CHOPPED

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and caramels Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

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