Lemon Ricotta Cookies and my "Artisan" Bread

Hi guys, sorry for the long time without writing to you. But I'm baking a lot and I think you are going to like my posts from now on... :D
So last Thursday on my cake decorating class a dear friend brought some homemade Lemon Ricotta Cookies and I just fell in love with it. I'm not going to lie to you... I even dreamed about those cookies (am I crazy?? Maybe...). She will send me her recipe but I just couldn't wait! I had to have the cookies!! I just felt that I has just like Cookie Monster... lol... Anyway, I searched for the recipe online and I bake them. But my friend's cookies where way better than mine. I'll wait for her recipe. But with you want to check it out here is the recipe that I got from Food Network site.

I also baked some homemade bread. One of my dear friend Luciana just started to blog. She's a sweetheart and is a newlywed brazilian girl who is currently living in the US. She baked some bread and I immediately wanted to bake some too... her pictures where so yummy!! Hmmm.... Check out: 

http://lulussweetsecrets.blogspot.com/  

Beautiful pictures and wonderful food!! :D


Here is my bread:

And my cookies:

Perfect for a chilly day....

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Ingredients

Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. 

Happy Baking!!

Le Cordon Bleu Cookie Recipes

Hi guys! You asked and I will post three recipes that you requested me!

Palmier

Ingredients

- 2 commercial puff pastry sheets 

-1 cup sugar 

How to make

1. Thaw the puff pastry dough in the refrigerator for 1/2 an hour.

2. Sprinkle sugar on your workbench and the in the dough.

3. Place on sheet on top of another and sprinkle a little bit of sugar between them.

4. Fold 1 inch of the edge of the dough on both sides of the sheet.Add more sugar on top. Continue to fold 1 inch up each time until the center is reached.

5. Freeze dough for 5 minutes

6. Remove from freezer and cut the cookies with a knife (about 1/2 inch).

7. Dip cookies in sugar and place on a baking sheet. Leave enough space between the cookies because they will grow.

8. Bake at 375F for about 15 minutes. When cookies brown on bottom, turn them over to brown on the other side. Cookies should be very crispy and dry.

Christmas Tree Bark (especially for my dear friend Layla)

Ingredients

- 1 pound white chocolate, chopped 

- 1 pound dark chocolate, chopped

- 8 red and white peppermint sticks, crushed

How to make

1. Line baking sheet with parchment paper (or plastic wrap).

2. Crush the peppermint sticks with a rolling pin (or a hammer) or even with the food processor.

3. Melt chocolates separately in a water bath (yes you can use the microwave)

4. Spread the dark chocolate on one half of baking sheet and place the white chocolate in the other half. Throw crushed candy on top and place in freezer.

5. When the chocolate is hard just break it the way that you want.

NOTE: In my class I did not do half and half. I just mixed the two of them to give the effect of mixed chocolate :D

Rugelach (Especially for Paula Cinini of The Cookie Shop)

Ingredients

-1 1/2 stick butter

- 6 oz cream cheese

-1/4 teaspoon salt

- 2 Tablespoons sugar

- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

- 1/2 cup jam (I used raspberry)

- 1/2 cup pecan, chopped 

- Egg Wash (egg mixture with water for brushing the dough)

How to make

1. Make a cream with butter and cream cheese in mixer.

2. Add sugar and salt.

3. Add flour.

4. Rest the dough in the fridge for half an hour.

5. Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Roll each piece out individually to a circle about 10 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Cut each circle into 8 equal wedges (like a pizza). Spread the jam in a thin layer over the cut circle. Sprinkle nuts over the jam. Roll each of the triangles up like a croissant and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Chill for 15 minutes.

6. Egg wash cookies before baking at 325F for about 10 minutes. Be sure not to have a puddle of eggs around base of rugelach.

NOTE: Always chill the dough in the fridge to cool for about 15 minutes if you feel that the dough is softening or sticking in your hand.

If you have any question, just ask!!

Happy Baking!