Mini Bundt Cake Gallery

Next time you are entertaining family or friends, try making these cute mini bundt cakes.  You can find mini bundt cake pans at places like Sur La Table, or Williams Sonoma.  Use your favorite cake recipe and garnish with fresh berries, chocolate or caramel syrup, and powdered sugar. 

Pam

Hershey Chocolate Company

Photo from hersheypa.com

Milton S. Hershey started his confectionery career as a teenage apprentice for a candy maker in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  After four years of apprenticing, he started his own candy business.  After six years of trying to make the business prosper, it failed.

He decided to move to Denver, Colorado and work for a confectioner who made caramels with fresh dairy milk.  He learned a lot from his mentor, then started up another candy business in New York City.  Sadly, this business also failed.

Milton persevered, and headed back to Lancaster to try again.  He was intent on making his caramel business successful, and this time it was.  Soon the “Lancaster Caramel Company” was shipping caramels all over the country and Europe as well.

In 1893, while visiting the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Milton regained his fascination with chocolate making.  He purchased some fancy German chocolate making equipment in the hopes of producing a chocolate coating for his caramels.  With the demand for chocolate on the rise, Milton started the “Hershey Chocolate Company.”  This time he perfected a recipe for making luxurious milk chocolate.  He now could start mass producing and distributing his chocolate.  Milton took pride in making milk chocolate that everyone could afford and enjoy with their families.

The chocolate business became so successful that Milton sold his caramel business to devote all of his time to making chocolate.  He wanted to expand production so he built a new factory near Derry Township, where he was born.  The factory was now surrounded by dairy farms and was convenient to the port cities who provided the cocoa beans and sugar to manufacture his chocolate.

Milton knew how to keep his employees happy.  He believed that if you treat your workers fairly and provide them with a friendly and comfortable work environment, they would be more productive.  He built his own town specifically for his loyal employees and their families.  The town of “Hershey” has schools, parks, churches and a trolley system to get around.  Later, a department store, swimming pool and an amusement park were added.  It has become a popular travel destination for vacationers and businesses alike.

One of Milton’s biggest accomplishments was creating a school for orphan boys called the “Milton Hershey School.”  He wanted every boy to be educated, not just the wealthy.  Because he and his wife Catherine had no children of their own, Milton transferred the bulk of his wealth (including the Hershey Chocolate Company) to the “Hershey Trust” to be held for the Milton Hershey School.

Today, the “Hershey Company” encompasses a range of products.  Besides manufacturing confectionery bars, they make bagged and boxed treats, baking ingredients, chocolate drink mixes and beverages, peanut butter and dessert toppings.  Some of the well known brands like Twizzlers, Reeses, Almond Joy, Kit Kat, Jolly Ranchers, York Peppermint Patties, Breathsavers, Bubble Yum, Ice Breakers mints and gum, and Mauna Loa Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts are now manufactured by Hershey.  You can also find sugar-free and kosher products as well.

The next time you bite into one of the many Hershey chocolate bars available, I hope you will thank Milton Hershey for never giving up on his dream.  For more information about Milton and his company, you can visit the link below.  You can also view a self-guided video tour of the chocolate making process.

www.thehersheycompany.com

Source for information: thehersheycompany.com

How to Use Baking Powder & Baking Soda

I thought we would discuss the differences between baking soda and baking powder.  Both are leavening agents used in baked goods to help them rise.  Sometimes you will see them used together, and sometimes separately.  Why is that?  Recipes determine which of these leavening agents to use by what other ingredients are included in the recipe.

Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate.  When mixed with liquid and an acidic ingredient like buttermilk, lemon juice or yogurt, a chemical reaction occurs that produces carbon dioxide bubbles.  These bubbles help the baked good expand and rise.  This chemical reaction happens immediately after mixing, so it is imperative that you get the batter in the oven to bake right away.  If you wait around too long before baking you could risk ending up with a flat baked good.  Baking soda on its own has a very unpleasant alkaline taste.  Using it with an acid will help to neutralize the bad aftertaste.  

Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar and cornstarch.  The cream of tartar is an acidifying agent and the starch is a drying agent.  Baking powder comes in single-acting or double-acting form.  The single-acting powder is activated by moisture and must be baked immediately.  The double-acting form reacts in two phases.  First when it is combined with liquid, and second when it hits the oven.  Baking powder yields a neutral taste because the acid is already contained in it.

A recipe using baking soda alone cannot stand high temperatures for a long period of time.  Recipes with baking powder alone can be baked longer because of the cream of tartar.  It acts as a second leavening agent and takes over when the sodium bicarbonate becomes inactive from the long exposure to heat.

Let’s say the recipe calls for baking powder and all you have on hand is baking soda.  You can make your own baking powder equivalent by mixing 2 parts cream of tartar with one part baking soda.  When the recipe calls for only baking soda, that’s what you should use. 

The thing to always remember, especially if you like to create your own recipes, is to always add baking soda to the recipe if there is an acidic ingredient in it.  If you create a recipe using only baking powder, but you have included an acidic ingredient like buttermilk, you should substitute half of the baking powder with baking soda.

I hope this helps you to understand how to use baking soda or baking powder in your recipes, and what their function is.  One other very important thing you need to do regularly, is to check the expiration dates.  Baking soda and baking powder will start to lose their strength if they get too old.  I like to replace mine every couple of months to be sure they stay fresh.

Happy baking,

Pam

Ghirardelli's Flourless Mocha Torte

Photo from Ghirardelli

While scouring the internet I came across some decadent chocolate recipes from the Ghirardelli website.  I had to share with you their recipe for Flourless Mocha Torte.  Have you ever tasted a flourless chocolate torte?  It literally melts in your mouth.  Since there is no flour in the recipe, the torte gets it structure from the beaten eggs.  The frosting on the torte is like a fluffy ganache, topped with chocolate shavings.  Toss some fresh berries on the plate and you’re good to go!  Here is the recipe from Ghirardelli:

Flourless Mocha Torte

Yield: 8 servings

·        7 ounce(s) 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar

·        4 ounce(s) Milk Chocolate Baking Bar

·        1 tablespoon(s) instant freeze-dried coffee

·        3 tablespoon(s) boiling water

·        6 eggs, separated

·        2/3 cup(s) sugar

·        1/4 teaspoon(s) salt (optional)

·        2 cup(s) heavy whipping cream for frosting

·        1 tablespoon(s) instant freeze-dried coffee for frosting

·        1/4 cup(s) boiling water for frosting

·         

Directions
Melt 6 ounces of the bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is smooth. Set aside. Dissolve the 1 T coffee in boiling water; set aside. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with waxed paper, and grease the waxed paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whip the egg whites on medium until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually add 1/3-cup sugar. Increase the mixing speed to high and continue beating until stiff peaks form. (The meringue should be shiny.) In another large bowl, whip the yolks, the remaining 1/3-cup sugar, and the salt until thick and lemon colored, approximately 5 minutes. Slowly add 6 ounces of chocolate and 1 Tbsp coffee; beat until well blended. Gently fold ¼ of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Carefully but thoroughly fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake on the center oven rack for 25 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside for 5 minutes with the oven door closed. Transfer the pans to a wire rack (the centers will fall). Remove the waxed paper while the cake is warm. Cool completely.

Frosting and Garnishing: For the frosting, melt 4 ounces of milk chocolate as directed for the cake. Dissolve the coffee in 1/4 cup boiling water; add all at once to the chocolate, stirring continuously until smooth. Cool completely. In a large mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream. To assemble the torte, level the top of each layer by cutting off the raised edges with a long serrated knife. Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread the layer with 1 cup of chocolate whipped cream. Top with the remaining cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the torte with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle to the top with 1 oz Bittersweet Chocolate shavings.

For more top chocolate recipes from Ghirardelli, go to: www.ghirardelli.com/bake/recipe_top.aspx 

Happy baking,

Pam

Vic's Corn Popper

Caramel Chocolate Swirl

Last week I made a visit to one of my favorite gourmet popcorn stores, Vic’s Corn Popper.  Vic’s opened its doors in 1980 in Omaha, Nebraska.  Proprietors Ruth & Vic grow a special hybrid of popcorn right here in Nebraska.  Because of their attention to precise measuring and exact heat, they are able to produce the best quality popcorn products for a good price.  With no preservatives added, your order is packed fresh the day you order it.

Now let’s get to the good part; the many flavors of Vic’s.  The top three flavors have always been their salted, caramel and cheese.  I bought the Caramel Chocolate Swirl!  Yes, it tastes as good as it looks.  Buttery caramel corn, drizzled with both white and dark chocolate.  Some of the other sweet flavors to choose from are Cinnamon, Tutti Fruitti, Buttery Caramel with Cashews, Caramel Apple, and Butter-Sweet Toffee Nut.

Don’t live in Omaha?  No problem.  Vic’s will ship across the country and around the world.  The canister size is perfect for parties, gifts, and for your college student to take back to school with him/her.  Call toll free to place an order at 877-330-VICS.  You can also order online at www.vicspopcornomaha.com

Next time you pass through Omaha, Nebraska stop by Vic’s for some gourmet Caramel Chocolate Swirl.  It is dangerously addicting, but who cares!

Happy munching,

Pam



Perfectly Whipped Egg Whites

If you do a lot of baking, then you know that some recipes like meringue, soufflés, angel food cake and macaroons all call for whipping egg whites to form stiff or soft peaks.  Why do we do this?  Beaten egg whites add volume and structure to our baked goods.

There are many things to consider before you even get started.  The age of your eggs matters a lot.  An older egg will whip up more than a fresher egg because of chemical changes that take place during aging.  Importantly, your egg whites should always be at room temperature for maximum volume during the whipping process.  The protein found in the whites expands more efficiently when used at room temperature.  Letting the eggs sit out for at least 30 minutes before using should be enough to get the chill off.  If you are in a hurry, you can place the eggs in a large bowl of very warm water (not hot) for 5-10 minutes. 

Once the eggs are at room temperature, they must be carefully separated.  The slightest speck of yolk in your whites will inhibit fluff.  Also, the equipment you use should be impeccably clean and dry.  Using a bowl that harbors oil, or beaters that are dripping wet will interfere with the formation of air bubbles.  Which leads us to the next, most important consideration; what type of bowl to use.

Most of us may not own a copper mixing bowl, but it is the best type of bowl for whipping egg whites.  Copper generates more volume and stability than other bowls due to its chemical reaction with the whites.  When using copper, you don’t need to add an acid to the whites. 

A stainless steel or glass bowl does not react like copper, and you will need to add an acid to achieve the same results.  Cream of tartar, lemon juice or vinegar will help stabilize and keep the air bubbles from popping once you stop beating.

An aluminum bowl is not recommended, as it will react with the acid and give the whites an un-appealing grayish color and bad taste.  Finally, a wooden bowl is out of the question as well.  Wood tends to harbor oil and other foods which will retard the whites from whipping up properly.

Once you have started whipping your egg whites, care must be taken not over beat them.  You know they have gone too far if they begin to look dry or start to liquefy again.  The stages to look for during whipping are foamy, soft peaks, stiff peaks.  If you are making meringue, you will only see the foamy and soft peak stages.  Once beaten, the whites must be used immediately or they will start to deflate.  They can’t stabilize anything if the air bubbles aren’t there.

People have wondered how powdered egg whites whip up compared to fresh ones.  Blended with a bit of water first, powdered eggs will whip successfully.  They are more convenient because you don’t have to go through the egg separating process first.  They also have a longer shelf life.  Wilton sells meringue powder in various sizes.  I keep it around during the holidays for making royal icing.  It’s great for cookies and making gingerbread houses.

If you follow these steps, you can successfully whip your egg whites into beautiful fluffy peaks every time.

Happy whipping,

Pam     

Choux Pastry Dough

Today we are going to talk about making choux pastry, better known as cream puff pastry.  The name choux is pronounced like “shoo.”  Choux actually means “cabbage” in French.  Someone probably thought that a baked cream puff looked like a small cabbage, so hence the name.

The dough is said to have been invented by a French pastry chef.  It has been used to make many sweet and savory treats like cream puffs, éclairs, gougere, profiteroles, croquembouches, beignets, Paris Brest, and French crullers.   

Before you say “that’s too hard to make,” I want you to know that there are only four ingredients in the dough (not including the water).  This type of pastry dough is made differently and is less complicated than you think.  After boiling water butter and salt, flour is added and quickly mixed in.  After a few minutes of cooling, eggs are added.  The dough is now ready to be piped out.  The high amount of moisture in the dough is what creates the steam that is needed to make the dough puff up nicely.  Also, baking at a higher temperature helps the dough rise up quickly, leaving a hollow center. 

Most of the time, the dough is baked, split, hollowed out and filled.  This is the case if you are making cream puffs, profiteroles, etc.  The dough is deep fried when making beignets or churros.  When the dough is boiled, you can make a different type of gnocchi or an Austrian dumpling called “Marillenknodel.”  By adding a little cheese to the dough and piping it into a ring shape, you get a savory “gougere.”

There are various recipes teaching you how to make choux pastry.  This one is the one I remember making years ago from an old stand-by cookbook from Better Homes & Gardens:

½ cup of butter

1 cup of water

¼ teaspoon of salt

1 cup of all-purpose flour

4 eggs   

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line parchment paper on a baking sheet.

In a 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, heat butter, water and salt until butter mixture boils. Remove from heat.  Add flour all at once. With a wooden spoon, vigorously stir until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a doughy ball.  Add eggs into flour mixture, one at a time, beating well after each one.  Let cool slightly.

Using a large spoon, drop heaping spoonfuls onto the lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven.  Let cool completely.  Split, scoop out any soft dough remaining, and fill with flavored whipped cream, or ice cream.

Use your imagination and create flavorful fillings that you and your family like.  For the holidays, I like to make profiteroles.  Little cream puffs piled on top of each other on a serving plate, then drizzled with chocolate!

Happy baking,

Pam

Heavenly Mascarpone Cheese!

Maybe you have heard the name mascarpone cheese before, but didn’t really know what it was.  Pronounced “mas-kar-POHN” or “mas-kahr-POH-nay” it is a very rich Italian cow’s milk cheese.  Mascarpone has a higher butter fat content than the “food police” would recommend (60-75%).  Cows are fed a special diet of clean grasses with herbs and flowers which contribute to the fresh taste of the cheese.  It can be described as ivory in color, rich, creamy, buttery, heavenly, and very spreadable.  In fact, although very rich, its flavor is mild enough to blend with many other flavors successfully.

Unlike most cheeses, mascarpone is not an aged product.  It is very perishable after it is processed, and should be consumed immediately.  (No letting this one sit in the fridge for weeks!)

Mascarpone cheese used to be hard to find.  Because of the popularity of the Italian dessert “tiramisu” it caught on fast.  People started demanding their grocers to carry it.  You can now find it in most large chain grocery stores, specialty food stores and delicatessens in the refrigerated section.  It usually comes in an 8oz. tub and can be a bit pricey.  I have found the cheapest price to be at Trader Joe’s.  Just do some scouting around to find the best price in your area.

We can’t discuss mascarpone cheese without bringing up tiramisu.  If you have never tried this delicious dessert, you are definitely missing out.  Tiramisu is an Italian layered dessert with espresso/liqueur soaked ladyfingers, sweetened mascarpone cheese and shaved chocolate.  There are many versions of this dessert all over the internet.  Some of them seem to stray a little too far for me to still call it tiramisu, but they still sound good enough to try.

What can you do if mascarpone is not in your budget?  Some people have tried substituting it with whipped ricotta or cottage cheese.  My experience with these cheeses leads me to think that the texture would suffer a bit.  You most certainly would be trading in the buttery smoothness for a slightly gritty one.  The “Cooks Thesaurus” has come up with some better substitutions for mascarpone cheese:

~ You can blend 8oz. of softened cream cheese with ¼ cup of whipping cream.

~ You can blend 8oz. of softened cream cheese with 1 Tablespoon of cream, milk or butter.

~ You can blend 6oz. of softened cream cheese with ¼ cup of butter and ¼ cup of cream.

If I was going to try a substitution, I would go with the last one.  Of course, by the time you buy the cream cheese, butter and cream, you could have probably purchased one tub of the mascarpone.  Just saying……

Just to convince you that mascarpone is not just for tiramisu alone, I searched the internet and saw lots of other recipes putting it to use like “chocolate mascarpone brownies, mascarpone gelato, lemon mascarpone blondies, nutella and mascarpone cream chocolate tarts, raspberry mascarpone pizza, and mascarpone stuffed french toast.  I have personally used it to make a decadent lemon mascarpone frosting.  If this list doesn’t convince you to try it, then I must tell you that most Italians will say that mascarpone needs little embellishment other than fresh fruit macerated in balsamic vinegar.

Arrivederci!

Pam

As Sweet as Molasses!

I am a huge fan of baking with molasses.  Its’ flavor is sweet and robust, and where would gingerbread cookies be without it?  It is generally added to a recipe to give color, flavor, moistness and some sweetness.  Because it tends to be less sweet than regular sugar, you will usually see recipes with molasses asking you to add some other form of sugar with it.

First, let me refresh your memory on how you may have tasted molasses without even knowing it.  Molasses is common in gingerbread, indian pudding, shoofly pie,  dark ale, stout, dark rum, baked beans, barbecue sauce, brown sugar and my favorite, black licorice.

Molasses is the by-product of processing sugar cane and beets into sugar.   The juices from these plants are pressed or squeezed out, boiled, and the sugar crystals extracted.  The remaining brownish liquid is called molasses.  There are three grades of molasses, mild, dark and blackstrap. 

The mild grade is boiled only once.  It is lighter in color and flavor, and is often used as a pancake syrup.  To make dark molasses, the juices are boiled a second time.  The flavor becomes slightly bitter and is less sweet.  It is also thicker and darker than mild molasses.  Dark molasses is generally used in baking to make gingerbread.  Blackstrap molasses is basically the bottom of the barrel.  After the third boiling, most of the sugar from the original juice has been crystallized and removed.  The molasses is very dark, thick and bitter.  It contains significant amounts of minerals and some people have called it a “health food.” Because it contains quite a bit of iron, it can be used as an iron supplement for some.   Even though it contains these nutrients, it is still mainly used for cattle feed.

You have probably noticed that molasses comes in sulfured and unsulfured.  Sulfured molasses is made from younger sugar cane.  During the extraction process, sulfur dioxide is added to act as a preservative.  Unsulfured molasses is made from mature sugar cane which does not require this treatment.  The unsulfured version has a cleaner cane flavor.

All of this talk about molasses has made me want to go out and buy some black licorice!  Seriously, I hope you give it a try.  Molasses compliments baked goods that have a lot of spice in them.    With fall just around the corner, it’s time to start planning your pumpkin and apple recipes.  Molasses would be a great addition to these comforting favorites!

Sweet baking,

Pam

Desserts by the Yard

Because it has been so hot lately, I have been avoiding turning on the oven.  When the heat index registers nearly 115 degrees, it’s time to stay in and read some cookbooks.  This is a good one by Executive Pastry Chef Sherry Yard.  “Desserts by the Yard” will inspire anyone who has an eye for only the best and most beautiful desserts.

You might recognize Sherry’s name from the Hollywood restaurant “Spago.”  Wolfgang Puck hired Sherry to be his pastry chef back in the early ‘90’s.  Wolfgang was very impressed with her creativity and attention to detail.

Some of the recipes include “Sherry’s Secrets.”  These are wonderful baking tips and techniques that Sherry offers to the reader.  They help you to better understand how to successfully prepare each recipe.  Haven’t you always wanted to know how they make those luscious Academy Award desserts for all of the stars?  Sherry shows you how step by step.

You will learn how to make a mouthwatering Charlotte Russe with homemade ladyfingers.  Sherry takes individual ramekins and lines them with ladyfingers.  She then flavors them with a simple syrup, and fills the center with vanilla whipped cream.  The adorning Bing or maraschino cherry is the crowning touch.

“Desserts by the Yard” makes a wonderful gift for the baker in your life.  If you are looking for an impressive coffee table book, this one will indeed impress.  The photographs in the book are by Ron Manville, who does an excellent job capturing the elegance of Sherry’s creativity.

Happy drooling,

Pam

Baking with Your Kids

I remember when my daughter was little and used to love decorating cookies with me during the holidays.  As she grew older, she lost interest.  I was hoping that she would want to continue to learn how to bake like I did as a child.  But her creativity went in another direction.  She was to be an artist.

Holly is now a graphic arts college student.  So when she asked me if she could make some cupcakes one day, I was thrilled!  Everyone kept telling me that she would come around some day.  With her creative hand, she produced beautiful cupcakes.  I had to capture the moment on film.

How did she do it, you ask?  She used a box of Funfetti cake mix and a can of chocolate frosting.  Kids have to start somewhere, don’t they?

I have never been more proud of my daughter and her talent as an artist.  Here is a sample of her work: 

I am a huge advocate for teaching kids how to bake and spend time in the kitchen.  Even though my daughter never offers to bake with me in the kitchen, I still invite her in to watch.   My mom not only let me in the kitchen, she let me take over once in a while.  Passing on tried and true recipes to your children is the only way to preserve them.

Happy baking,

Pam

Review for "Chocolate Devil Cookies"

Photo from Beyond Wonderful

While I was perusing the internet for my next recipe to review, I came across this cookie recipe.  It comes from Barbara Adams’ blog, “Beyond Wonderful.”  As I read through the directions, I noticed that some of the steps were different from the way I usually prepare cookie dough.  This intrigued me, so I decided to try the recipe for myself to see how the cookies came out.

The first step asks you to beat the butter and egg together.  I used unsalted butter.  It wasn’t mentioned, but I used an electric hand mixer for this.  I got a little concerned when the mixture started to look like scrambled eggs, but I forged on.  Next, you add the sugar and corn syrup to the bowl.  After mixing again, I was delighted that the mixture now looked un-curdled and smooth.

The amount of flour was not exact so I started off by using 1 ¾ cups plus 2 Tablespoons.  The dry ingredients are then sifted together and added to the butter mixture.  For this step, I put down the electric mixer and used a large rubber spatula to mix it together.  My concern was “what happened to the chocolate?”  Typically, recipes will ask you to add the melted chocolate to the wet ingredients before mixing in the dry ingredients.  I added the melted chocolate to the already mixed dough, and gently mixed it in.  I was worried about over-mixing the dough, but pressed on.

The last concern I had was that there didn’t seem to be any additional flavoring like vanilla added to the dough.  The chocolate was to be the main star.  Also, the recipe left out the exact amount of sugar to dip the cookie dough in.  I assumed it was 1/4 cup of sugar.   I went ahead and started baking the cookies.

All my concerns just flew out the window!  The wonderful aroma coming from the oven was overwhelming.  The cookies came out beautifully. They were soft and chewy and had crinkles on top.  Just like chocolate gingersnaps.  But the best part for me was that they tasted just like my great grandmother’s chocolate cake!  These cookies reminded me of my childhood.  For once, I was glad that I followed the recipe exactly.  Here is the recipe from Barbara Adams’ Beyond Wonderful:

¾ cup butter, room temperature

1 egg

1 cup sugar

¼ cup light corn syrup

1 ¾ to 2+ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

¼    sugar for dipping

Preheat oven to 350°

1. Beat the butter and egg together in a spacious bowl. Add sugar and corn syrup and blend well.

2. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a separate bowl.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix to combine.

4. Melt the chocolate in your microwave or in a double-boiler pan. Add it to the batter and stir until smooth. Feel the dough, and add more flour if it is sticky. You should be able to roll dough balls easily in your hands.

5. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Flatten each ball slightly and dip it in sugar .so that it is totally covered.

6. Arrange the balls several inches apart on a greased cookie sheet.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 9–10 minutes. The cookies should be barely set on the edges and still very soft in the center. Don’t overcook them or the cookies become hard and brittle.

8. Let the cookies sit on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, and then transfer them to racks to cool.

I have to say that I did only set the oven to 325 degrees rather than 350. I added a minute or two more to the baking time. Barbara stresses not to over-bake the cookies or they will become hard and brittle. I hope you will try Barbara's cookie recipe. It's very quick and easy. To see more of her recipes, please visit her blog "Beyond Wonderful" at www.beyondwonderful.com

Happy baking,

Pam