Lime Strawberrycream Cookies



Lime Strawberrycream Cookies

 These cookies are delicate and delicious.  The cookie is made up of Strawberry buttercream sandwiched between two lime cookies. They are adapted from the Lemon Berrycream Cookies I had previously made.  That recipe was one of my kids' favorites, and I anticipate I will try them over and over with different flavour combinations.  When I asked my daughter what she thought of the idea of making one of our "classics" with different flavours she said "awesome!"- I think that's her new favourite word.  She really is my biggest supporter.  She loves helping with the ingredients and ideas.  Both kids loved how these turned out and my daughter thinks they will make a great year end gift for her teachers.  Smart kid :)

Lime Cookie

1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp light cream
1 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed

2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp lime zest
pinch of salt

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add egg and mix well.  Add cream and mix well. Add lime juice and mix well.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, lime zest and salt. Mix well.
Slowly add to creamed butter mixture. Mixing well.  Dough is mixed enough when it comes together and forms a ball.
Remove cookie dough from mixer.  No need to flour the surface as the dough is the texture of a play dough and should not stick

Divide into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece into a log approx 3cm in diameter.  Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour

Remove one log of dough from the refrigerator and use a sharp knife to slice into 24, 1 cm thick cookies.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Leaving a little space between each cookie (they don't spread much).

Bake @ 375° for approx 8 min, or until the bottom edge is just starting to turn a pale golden colour. Remove from oven cool for 1 min, then move cookies to a cooling rack. 
Repeat with each log of dough until all cookies are baked. Makes 8 dozen (96) cookies.  Allow cookies to cool completely.

Strawberry Buttercream

1/3 cup butter, unsalted, softened

1 1/3 cup icing sugar

1 tbsp whipping cream

1 1/2 tbsp Strawberry Coulis

Cream butter and icing sugar. Add coulis. Beat until light and fluffy.

Pipe Strawberry Buttercream on 1/2 (48) of the cookies, top with remaining cookies.  Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow butter cream to set.  Store cookies in refrigerator. Makes 48 sandwich cookies.

Lemon Berrycream Cookies

Lemon Berrycream Cookies

These are lightly sweet, buttery lemon cookies filled with a beautiful and rich butter cream, which is bursting with the tart and tangy flavours of raspberries and blackberries. These cookies look so pretty and feminine.  They would be the perfect cookie for a baby shower, or a little princess tea party!

Lovely Lemony Cookie

1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp light cream
1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
zest of 1 lemon
pinch of salt

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add egg and mix well.  Add cream and mix well. Add lemon juice and mix well.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, lemon zest and salt. Mix well.

Slowly add to creamed butter mixture. Mixing well.  Dough is mixed enough when it comes together and forms a ball.
Remove cookie dough from mixer.  No need to flour the surface as the dough is the texture of a play dough and should not stick.

Divide into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece into a log approx 3cm in diameter.  Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour. 

Remove one log of dough from the refrigerator and use a sharp knife to slice into 24, 1 cm thick cookies.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Leaving a little space between each cookie (they don't spread much).

Bake @ 375° for approx 8 min, or until the bottom edge is just starting to turn a pale golden colour. Remove from oven cool for 1 min, then move cookies to a cooling rack. 
Repeat with each log of dough until all cookies are baked. Makes 8 dozen (96) cookies.  Allow cookies to cool completely.

Berrylicious Buttercream

1/3 cup butter, unsalted, softened
1 1/3 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Raspberry Blackberry Coulis

Cream butter and icing sugar. Add coulis. Beat until light and fluffy.

Pipe Berrylicious Buttercream on 1/2 (48) of the cookies, top with remaining cookies.  Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow butter cream to set.  Store cookies in refrigerator. Makes 48 sandwich cookies.

These cookies would be heavenly with a scoop of Lemonberry Gelato and a few fresh berries.

Chewy Blueberry Double Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bars



Chewy Blueberry Double Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bars

 This week I needed to bake some cookies for my daughter's school bake sale, which worked out perfectly for me. Creating two new recipes a week is fun, and I like it, but the treats are starting to pile up. I still have half a pie on the counter from last week, and my pants are tight!
This was the first time I have tried dried blueberries, and I must say I love them in these cookies. They are chewy, and really pack a lot of flavor.  My kids (the ultimate judges) both loved these, and I'm sure the cookie bars that are left in the house won't last long.  I like to make cookie bars more than cookies for one reason only: I'm lazy!  I can make six dozen cookie bars all at once, and to make that many cookies would take over an hour just to bake. 

Chewy Blueberry Double Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bars

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

3 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups dried sweetened blueberries
100g good quality white chocolate (coarsely chopped)
100g good quality milk chocolate (coarsely chopped)

Preheat oven to 350°.  Cream butter and both types of sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Add vanilla mix well.
In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Mix well and gradually add to creamed mixture. Mix well.
Combine oats, blueberries and both kinds of chocolate. Stir into the cookie dough.

Spray a large cookie sheet with non-stick spray.  Distribute the cookie dough evenly on the cookie sheet and pat down.  Bake 20-25 min, until lightly golden.  Cut into 72 bars.  If you prefer to make cookies, as opposed to bars, drop on sheets by teaspoons and flatten slightly. Makes 6 dozen cookies. 

Make these cookie bars, I promise you will love them, so much so that you really do need to share.

Love Bites

Love Bites

Peanut butter cookies sandwiched with chewy caramel and chocolate. These are yummy and well worth the effort.  My kids both really like these cookies, and  one is enough to feel like you have had a real treat. Makes 36 cookies

Cookie
1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375°.  Cream butter, peanut butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg and mix until well blended.  In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add to butter mixture and blend well.  Turn dough out onto cookie sheet and press flat covering the base of the cookie sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1 or 2 min only.  Using small cookie cutter (I used a 2" heart), cut out shapes from the cookie.  Move quickly, as the cookie will harden as it cools. Cut into 72 shapes.  These are the outside layers of the cookie sandwich.

Caramel
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cover a cookie sheet with parchment. Combine all ingredients in heavy saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stirring constantly.  Once it has reached a boil, continue to cook for 9-10 min, until it lightens in colour slightly, and a dollop dropped in a glass of cold water forms a solid, yet soft malleable ball.  Remove from heat and immediately pour onto prepared pan.  Be careful it is extremely hot. Don't stir, or smooth out, this will change the texture of the finished caramel.  Just let it settle on its own.  Allow the caramel to cool completely. Cut out shapes with the same cookie cutter you used for the cookie layer. You will need 36 for the cookies (too bad you will have leftover caramel to munch on). Caramel should be soft and chewy, but still hold form. To make nice shapes, remove each heart as you cut it. If you leave it for even a minute it will start to stick back to the rest.

Chocolate
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips divided

This is not very fancy or technical, but in my experience the easiest way to work with melted chocolate that you intend to pipe.  Place 1/2 cup of chocolate chips into a baggie. Heat it the microwave on high for  approx. 40 seconds.  Remove, seal baggie and smoosh with your hands until all chocolate is melted. Snip a small hole in the corner of the baggie to pipe.  Repeat with remaining 1/2 when you're ready for it.

Assemble the Cookie

Now that you have all of the layers prepared you can assemble the cookies.  Take one cookie, pipe on some melted chocolate, place a caramel on top. Set aside to set.  Repeat until you have used all 36 caramels. This will take one baggie of chocolate.  Once all of the bottoms have been assembled and have set, melt the next baggie of chocolate.  Pipe remaining chocolate on top of the caramel layer and place a cookie on top, finishing the "sandwich"  Allow to set completely. Enjoy! Store in an air tight container.