Book Worm Recipes

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Book Worm Recipes

Esther's Orange Marmalade Layer Cake

For the Cake:
3 c cake flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
2 c granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten lightly
1 tblsp grated orange zest
1 c buttermilk, at room temperature

For the Orange Syrup:
1 c freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 c granulated sugar

For the Filling:
1 12-ounce jar orange marmalade

For the Frosting:
3/4 c cup well-chilled heavy cream
3 tblsp sugar
3/4 c well-chilled sour cram

To Make the Cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F degrees. Butter 2 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment or wax paper, and butter and flour the paper, shaking out the excess.

In a bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar, a little at a time, and beat the mixture until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, orange zest, and vanilla. Beat in 1/3 of the dry ingredients alternately with 1/2 of the buttermilk until combined well. Finally, beat in the remaining dry ingredients until mixture is smooth.

Evenly divide the batter between the pans, smooth the surface, rap each pan on the counter to expel any air pockets, then transfer to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to racks and cool in the pans for 20 minutes.

To make the Orange Syrup:
Meanwhile, make the orange syrup: In a bowl, stir together the orange juice and sugar until sugar is dissolved.

With a toothpick or wooden skewer, poke holes at 1/2-inch intervals u=in the cake layers. Spoon the syrup over each layer, allowing the syrup to be completly absorbed before adding the remainder. Let layers cool completly.

To Make the Filling:
In a small sauceoan set over moderate heat, heat the marmalade until just melted. Let cool 5 minutes.
To Make the Frosting: In a bowl, whisk the heavy cream with the sugar until it forms firm peaks. Add the sour cream, a little at a time, and whisk until mixture is of spreading consistency.

To Assemble the Cake:
Arrange one of the layers on a cake plate and carefully peel off the wax paper. Spread 2/3 of the marmalade over the top, smoothing it into an even layer. Invert the remaining layer onto the top of the first layer, carefully peel off the wax paper, and spoon the remaining marmalade onto the center of it, leaving a 1 1/4-inch border around the edge. Frost the sides and the top border with the frosting, leaving the marmalade on top of the cake exposed. Or, if you prefer , frost the entire cake, adding the marmalade as a garnish on top. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Recipe from:
Esther's Gift (Mitford Christmas)

German Chocolate Cake Cookies

Do not preheat oven yet
Make cookie dough first

Cookie Dough:
1 c butter (2 sticks)
1 c milk chocolate chips
2 c white (granulated sugar)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
3 c flour (no need to sift)

Frosting:
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 c tightly packed coconut
1/2 c chopped pecans
1/4 c chilled butter (1/2 stick)
2 egg yolks, beaten

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and chocolate chips on high for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. In another mixing bowl, mix the sugar and the eggs. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla.
Stir the melted chocolate until it's fairly warm to the touch, but no longer hot. Add it to the mixing bowl and mix it thoroughly.
Add the flour and mix well. (dough will be stiff and a bit crumbly).
Cover the dough and set it aside while you make the frosting.
Combine the sugar and coconut in a food processor. Mix with the steel blade until the coconut is in small pieces.
Add the chopped pecans. Cut the butter into four chunks and add them. Process with the steel blade until the butter is in small bits.
Sperate the yolks, place them in a glass or small bowl and whip them up with a fork. Add them to your processor mixture and process until thoroughly incoporated. (If you don't have a food processor, you can make the frosting by hand using softened butter.)
Preheat the oven to 350 F, place rack in the center.
Chill the frosting while the oven's preheating. It'll make it easier to work with. This will be especially true if you've made the frosting by hand and haven't chopped the coconut into shorter shreds.
Pat the cookie dough into one-inch balls with your fingers. Place the balls on a greased cookie sheet., 12 to a standard sheet. Press down in the center of each ball with your thumb to make a deep indentation. (If the health board's around, use the bowl of a small spoon.)
Pat the frosting into 1/2 inch balls with your fingers. Place them in each indentation.
Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Makes 5 to 6 dozen depending on size of cookies.
Recipe From: Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanne Fluke

Blondes' Blondies

2 c peeled and sliced granny smith apples
1 c firmly packed dark brown sugar
½ c (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 egg
1 1 /2 c cake flour (high altitude: add 1 tblsp flour)
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
½ c chopped pecans or walnuts
½ c raisins
Creamy Citrus Frosting

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch metal (not glass) pan.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the chopped apples with the brown sugar. Set it aside while you prepare the other ingredients. In a small pan, melt the butter and set it aside to cool. In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg slightly. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

Whisk the melted and cooled butter into the egg; stir this mixture into the apple mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in the nuts and raisins. (The batter will be thick.) Spread the batter in the prepared pan.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the blondies test done with a toothpick. Cool in the pan, then frost with Creamy Citrus Frosting. Slice and serve.

Makes 32 servings.

Creamy Citrus Frosting

2 tblsp (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tblsp orange juice
1 to 1 ½ c confectioners' sugar, sifted

Beat the butter with the orange juice until the butter is very soft (they will not mix completely). Add the sugar until the desired consistency is reached. Spread on the cool blondies.

Recipe From:
Prime Cut by Diane Mott Davidson





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