Everyone who got their first nice camera for Christmas, PhotoADay is for you! Here’s the list for January and here’s the link for how to play. If you don’t blog you can post to instagram and facebook with #fmsphotoaday hashtag.
Yes, I clean the drain once a year whether it needs it or not.
That half hour Just before the sun goes down.
I will spare you all the coughing, sneezing and tissue photos.
I’m still baking Christmas cookies. Today’s cookie has ginger root and candied ginger it them.
I made the dough up the night before and my camera refused to come out to photograph, it made some excuse about the light being bad at night and how it was just going to be photos of more butter and sugar in a bowl. I decided not to argue with it. Ya gotta pick your battles sometimes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle to about 1/3 inch thick.
Cut into stars using cookie cutters
and place on the baking sheets.
Beat the egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl.
Lightly brush the cookies with the egg wash,
then sprinkle with the crystallized ginger and coarse sugar. Refrigerate the cookies until firm, about 20 minutes. Somehow I forgot to save the candied ginger for this part. My ginger is well mixed in the dough.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake until the cookies are slightly puffed and golden brown.
Let cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
From foodnetwork
Ingredients
Directions
Beat the cream cheese, butter, granulated sugar, grated ginger and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the flour and mix until combined. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap in the plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle to about 1/3 inch thick. Cut into stars using cookie cutters and place 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Reroll the scraps and repeat. (Refrigerate the dough if it gets too soft.)
Beat the egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Lightly brush the cookies with the egg wash, then sprinkle with the crystallized ginger and coarse sugar. Refrigerate the cookies until firm, about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake until the cookies are slightly puffed and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
I love Palmiers at Christmas time! But making the dough is very time consuming. In fact last year I just didn’t ever make any. So I put on my thinking cap and thought I’d try making them with regular pie crust. Sure they might not have as many delicate layers but it was either that or no palmiers.
Roll out dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a rectangle approximately 1/8 inch thick,
Sprinkle with sugar.
sprinkle with cinnamon if you like.
Carefully roll each long edge toward the center. Use the plastic wrap to help roll tightly.
Wrap it up and put in the fridge or pop in the freezer until very firm but not frozen.
Then where you’re ready to bake get out the ‘logs’.
Slice crosswise into 3/8-inch slices.
I cut all of them and popped them back in freezer until I was ready.
I used my hand instead of a rolling pin to lightly flatten. Then sprinkled the center of each with more sugar.As the oven was heating to 450.
Confession time, yes, I did. I got tired of waiting and walked off for a few minutes and this is what I came back to!
Not being made from proper puff pastry dough hasn’t stopped anyone from eating them so I’m satisfied with my variation.
let cool and serve or make ahead and freeze.
adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe that I can’t find.
Roll out dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a rectangle approximately 1/8 inch thick, continually sprinkling with additional sugar to prevent the dough from sticking. Sprinkle surface with sugar (optional, add cinnamon)
Working quickly but gently, roll each long end to the center of the pastry, use plastic wrap to help roll it up, making sure to roll tightly and evenly. Freeze rolled log for 20 minutes, until very firm but not frozen. Slice crosswise into 3/8-inch slices. Roll over each palmier with a rolling pin to lightly flatten, and sprinkle the center of each with more sugar. Place palmiers 2 inches apart on water-sprayed baking sheets. Freeze for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake palmiers 4 to 6 minutes, until golden on the underside. Flip with a spatula, pressing down to flatten if palmiers seem to be unrolling. Bake 2 to 4 minutes more, watching carefully, until golden and crisp. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
This is my version of gluten free pie crust that I’m pretty happy with. It’s my regular recipe I used to use but I just use Bob’s gluten free flour and a pinch of xanthan gum instead of regular flour.
I start with a glass of water and a few ice cubes in there to get the water good and cold by the time I’m ready.
In a bowl I add sugar,
salt, gluten free all purpose flour and a pinch of xanthan gum
Then I chop frozen butter into small pieces
I mean small pieces.
Add the butter to the flour mix.
Because I’ve cut my butter pretty small I don’t have as much cutting to do with the pastry blender. Always thinking I am.
When the butter bits get to the size of small peas I stop. I stop even if I think there’s just one more butter piece I could cut.
Add water by the tablespoonful and stir in with a fork.
When the dough gets clumpy like this I set down the fork and use my hands.
Here it looks like it needs just a teeny bit more water.
divide dough in two, wrap and refrigerate for a hour or overnight or make ahead and freeze.
In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar and salt. Dice two sticks of very cold unsalted butter into small pieces. Add butter pieces to flour mixture.
Cut butter into the flour with a pastry blender until the butter pieces are the size of small peas.
Drizzle tablespoons at a time of the cold water over the butter and flour mixture. Stir in with a fork until it's making big clumps then work it with our hands.
Stop adding water Just before the dough turns slimy it's even ok if there's a little dry looking spots.Kneed it a little.
Divide the dough in half, and wrap with plastic wrap. Let the dough chill in the fridge for one hour, or over night.
