Ginger Spice Cookies by Judy Neyts

Ginger Spice Cookies (Recipe adapted from OBB)

Ingredients:

3/4 C Butter flavored Crisco

1 C sugar, plus more for rolling

1 large egg

1/4 C molasses

2 C flour

2 t baking soda

1 t ground cinnamon

1 t ground ginger

1/2 t ground cloves

1/2 t salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a slip mat. 

With an electric mixer, combine shortening and sugar and cream until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the egg and the molasses and beat until completely incorporated.

Sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt

and then add to the wet mixture. Stir until combined. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.

Place on cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just set around the edges and you start to see “crackling” on the top.

Don’t over bake! You want to keep them nice and chewy-soft in the middle.

Yield: about 4 dozen

For Orange Ginger Spice Cookies:

Zest 2 large oranges, and add zest to wet ingredients. Once cookies are cooled, melt a bag of white chocolate chips. Dip half the cookie and lay on parchment paper until chocolate hardens.  

Recipe from Judy Neyts

Iced Oatmeal Cookies by Judy Neyts

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

(These are amazing by themselves, but would probably make great oatmeal pies.)

•   2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

•   2 cups all purpose flour

•   1 tablespoon baking powder

•   ½ teaspoon baking soda

•   ½ teaspoon salt

•   2 teaspoons cinnamon

•   ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

•   1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

•   1 cup light brown sugar

•   ½ cup sugar

•   2 large eggs

•   1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze

•   2 cups confectioners sugar

•   3 tablespoons milk

INSTRUCTIONS

1  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheets with cooking spray and set aside.

2  Place rolled oats in a food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds until coarse. **Don’t over grind.

3  Mix oats with flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

4  Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars.

5  Add in eggs one at a time then vanilla extract.

6  Gradually add in flour mixture until combined.

7  Roll dough into 2 tablespoon size balls and place on baking sheet spacing about 2 inches apart. *I use a small cookie scoop.

8  Bake for 10-12 minutes until the bottoms begin to brown.

9  Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Glaze

1  Mix confectioners sugar and milk together in a medium bowl.

2  Quickly dip tops of cookies into glaze and let excess drip off.

3  Place back on wire rack until glaze sets.

4  Store cookies in an airtight container.

Recipe by Judy Neyts

Fluffy White Cake with Strawberry Filling and Whipped Vanilla Buttercream

Fluffy White Cake with Strawberry Filling and Whipped Vanilla Buttercream (By Judy Neyts)

(Perfect recipe for a pink-layered birthday cake!)

Yield: one 8-inch, 3-layer cake

Ingredients:

For the Fluffy White Cake (by Sweetapolita):

5 large egg whites, at room temperature

1 whole egg

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups cake flour, sifted

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into 24 even pieces

For the Strawberry Filling:

3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons corn starch

For the Whipped Vanilla Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

  

Instructions:

 For the Fluffy White Cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease, line with parchment and flour your pans.

2. In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine and stir the egg whites, whole egg, 1/4 cup milk and the vanilla. Set aside.

3. In a bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients together on low speed for 30 seconds.

4. Add the butter one piece at a time, about every 10 seconds, ensuring it's cold. Continue to mix on low speed until the mixture is a fine and crumbly texture. Add 3/4 cup remaining milk and mix on low speed for 5 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 separate batches, mixing until light and fluffy, about four minutes. Fold once or twice to ensure the batter at the bottom of the bowl is incorporated.

5. Divide batter evenly among your pans, spreading evenly with a small offset palette knife.

6. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with a few crumbs when inserted into the center, about 30 minutes (closer to 24 minutes if you're doing the 6-inch pans). Check cake at 20 minutes, but not before, and then set the timer for 5 minute intervals. Let cool on racks for 10 minutes before loosening the sides with a small metal spatula, then invert onto greased wire racks. Gently turn the cakes back up so the tops are up and cool completely.

7. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to two days, refrigerator for up to five days, or freezer for up to 2 months. 

For the Strawberry Filling:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.

2. Stir and smash the strawberries with the back of a spoon or a fork.

3. Allow mixture to reach a boil, while stirring occasionally so the sides don't burn.

4. Once the mixture reaches a boil, turn the temperature to low and let simmer and thicken for another 5 minutes. Cool in the refrigerator while you work on the other components.

For the Whipped Vanilla Buttercream:

1. Cream the butter for about 30 seconds.

2. Add sifted confectioners' sugar, one cup at a time, mixing a little in between each addition.

3. With mixer on medium speed, add whipping cream, vanilla extract and salt.

4. Continue to mix on medium speed for 6-8 minutes, until the frosting is fairly white in color and light and fluffy in texture.

*You can also use raspberry filling or just buttercream.