Ginger-Doodles: The Best Cookie EVAR!

Your new favorite holiday cookie--You're welcome!

Happy October, and sorry for being away from my blog for so long!  

The fall is always a busy time in our house between weekend trips to Lubbock for Texas Tech football games and camping trips to game-watching parties and dancing at the state fair and other festivals, so I don't usually have much time to devote to cooking much less blogging... 

BUT this past weekend, I made cookies for a game-watching party and they were such a big hit that instead of sending the recipe to 10+ people, I decided to grace y'all with my presence, tell y'all I'm not dead, apologize for my absence, and provide y'all with a great holiday cookie recipe so y'all wouldn't hate me (too much).  :)  I'm pretty sure that sentence is a complete run-on, but I'm over it and I hope you are too because this recipe is so good, you'll forget all about that run-on sentence.

Because I wasn't actually intending to make this recipe into a blog post (yet) because I really didn't have time to clean my kitchen and place all of my ingredients in adorable little bowls and photograph each step, all I have is a shot of the finished product.  Hopefully, at some point, I'll make these cookies again and will have time to take photos and update this blog post before the holidays are over, but I won't make any promises!  :)

So, without further ado, today's recipe is a little something I made up to accommodate the hubby's love for gingersnaps and my love for snickerdoodles.  I took a family friend's gingersnap recipe and altered it, and to my surprise, it actually works out really well... so well in fact, people ask for these cookies all the time.

(Awesome Are You Afraid of the Dark reference for your Halloween enjoyment coming up below:)

Submitted for the approval of the midnight society, I call these cookies.... 

Heather's Ginger-Doodles

Ingredients
-  1 1/2 cups  Shortening
-  1 cup          Granulated Sugar
-  1 cup          Light Brown Sugar
-  2 large        Eggs, slightly beaten
-  To Taste     Vanilla (I use approximately 3-4 tsp)
-  1/2 tsp        Salt
-  3 tsp           Cinnamon
-  2 tsp           Ginger
-  4 tsp           Baking Soda
-  1/3 cup       Molasses
-  4 cups         All Purpose Flour
-  Extra          Cinnamon and Sugar (for rolling)

Directions
-  In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on "Stir" (or the lowest setting), cream together the shortening and sugar until combined (about 3-5 minutes)
-  Still on the "Stir" setting, add in the slightly beaten eggs and vanilla, and increase the speed slightly and mix until combined
-  Combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt, and sift together into a bowl or large (4 cup or more) measuring cup
-  With the mixer back on "Stir", slowly add in a little of the flour mixture
-  Once the small amount of the flour mixture is combined, add in a little of the molasses
-  Repeat with the flour mixture and then with the molasses until both are completely combined into the batter
-  Once everything is combined, give the batter a good stir, cover, and place in refrigerator overnight (or for at least 3 hours)
-  When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and mix together in a shallow bowl or dish some granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon (for rolling the cookies in)
-  Take out your batter and roll the dough into ping-pong sized balls, drop them in the cinnamon sugar and coat, and place the sugar-coated dough balls on the baking sheet
-  Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or just until the cookies begin to "crack" on top
-  Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let the cookies rest on the hot sheet for a few minutes before removing to cool on a wire cooling rack

Notes:
-  This is a great cookie recipe to use a stand mixer with.  Thanks to the flour and molasses, this dough becomes very stiff and can be extremely tiring to attempt without a mixer.  I am not a big fan of hand mixers, but if that's all you have, that would be better than mixing by hand.  Not to say that you can't make this recipe without some kind of mixer; it's just a whole heck-of-a-lot easier with one.
-  This is one cookie you DO NOT want to over bake.  Because of the molasses, this cookie has a tendency to become a crunchy cookie, so if you want to keep it soft like a snickerdoodle, you will want to under-bake it in the over and let it "finish baking" on the cookie sheet after you take it out.  I tend to make the 8-minute mark the absolutely longest I will leave the cookie in, personally.

Homemade Cake Batter Ice Cream

The Finished Product!

Sorry I've been absent for a decent amount of time. I plan on being able to devote more time to blogging starting in June as our summers are a little less hectic than the spring.


To apologize for leaving you without delicious things to cook, I am making it up to you by sharing my recipe for homemade custard-style cake batter ice cream. Before I begin, you should know that to make ice cream, I use my KitchAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment. Regardless of how you make ice cream, the instructions (up until the ice cream goes in the maker) should be the same for you.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


My mother and I sometimes have differing views on cooking. She has a very scientific mind whereas I have a very creative mind, so where her recipes are exact, precisely measured, and perfectly executed, mine tend to be very loose, not so precisely measured, and executed well (but not perfectly by any means). Unfortunately for us creative souls who "dump" instead of measure, making custard is not something we are very well suited for. To make custard, you must be precise, you much watch it very carefully, and you must not over-cook it.


This is why I have no pictures of the custard making process--there just wasn't any time to take pictures, but don't worry, I'll provide exact step-by-step instructions for achieving perfect custard below. Right now, I'm going to show you some fun pictures of the rest of the process...

This is the custard ice cream mix after it had
set-up in the refrigerator overnight

To achieve the perfect ice cream consistency, you must make sure everything is as cold as possible. If an ice cream recipe says "Chill for 3 hours", you'd be better off allowing it to chill overnight before making ice cream. Words of wisdom--I promise!

This is my Ice Cream Maker Attachment once
it was put in place

If you have a KitchenAid Mixer and you plan on making ice cream a lot, you should seriously consider investing the $80 in this attachment. It really does make life so much easier. You freeze the bowl in the freezer for (the instructions say) 15 hours, but I let it freeze at least a full 24-36 hours before using.

I poured the ice cream batter into a pitcher to make it
easier to get the batter into the ice cream bowl

You have to have your KitchenAid mixer on the "Stir" speed in order to add the batter. That's why it's easier to place the batter into a pitcher rather than pour straight from the bowl. Wasting even a drop of this beautiful batter should be considered a sin.

After 20 minutes of stirring, the ice cream
has doubled in size

Again, the instructions say that your ice cream will be ready in 15-20 minutes, but I have found that the consistency is so much better if you let it keep going another 10 minutes. Also, after 30 minutes of churning, the ice cream has a very frozen yogurt consistency. To achieve the perfect "Marble Slab" ice cream consistency, you will want to allow the ice cream to set up in the freezer for about 3-5 hours before serving.

See... it's kinda melty straight out of the
ice cream maker... still delicious though

I placed the ice cream into freezer bowls, put the lids on
and threw them in the freezer for 7 hours

Okay... enough pictures. It's time to give you the recipe and instructions! You could be 48 hours away from eating this delicious ice cream! :) I promise--it's well worth the wait!

Homemade Custard-Style Cake Batter Ice Cream
(quite possibly better than Cold Stone)

Ingredients*
- 1 Pint (2 cups) Half and Half
- 8 Egg Yolks
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 3 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp of Vanilla
(basically, take a shot glass and fill it to the absolute brim)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup Betty Crocker White Cake Mix (de-lumped and sifted)


*Warning: You can substitute the 5 cups of dairy product in any combination of milk, half and half, and heavy whipping cream to make it less rich, however, this is ice cream people. You want to lose weight? Don't eat ice cream. Sure you can substitute fat-free half and half or skim milk, but it will drastically alter the consistency and richness of the final product. I promise you, Cold Stone doesn't make their ice cream with Fat Free Milk. If you choose to do this and it doesn't turn out as amazing as I say it is, that's not my fault--that's your fault for expecting fat free ice cream to taste as good as the full-fat stuff. :) Another note, this is custard. Custard is made with cream and egg YOLKS. Your custard ice cream will not turn out properly if you use any of the egg whites. Now, you don't have to throw the egg whites out, you can mix in some egg whites with a full egg or two and make delicious, healthy egg white omelets--just keep them out of the custard! :) This warning may sound harsh, but it's tough love people. I'm doing this for your own good... and for your success. :)


Directions
- If using the KitchenAid Mixer Ice Cream Attachment, place the attachment in the freezer (if it's not already there)
- Take the 8 egg yolks and place them in a mixing bowl with the sugar. Mix on Speed 2 for about 5 minutes, until the eggs have thickened a bit and the mixture is properly combined.
- While the eggs/sugar are mixing, head the half and half (only) in a medium sauce pan over medium heat (like setting 4 or 5 on the stove) until very hot but not boiling, stirring often. You do not want to chance scalding the half and half.
- As soon as it reaches the almost boiling stage (steam will be rising and the half and half will have slightly reduced), remove it from the heat and (very gradually; don't just dump) pour it straight into the mixing bowl that has the egg mixture. I find that not turning off the mixer while I pour in the hot half and half allows the mixture to combine better.
- Let the half and half mix in with the eggs and sugar for about two minutes, then stop the mixer, remove it from the stand and mix it by hand for a minute or so to ensure that the eggs and sugar have properly combined with the half and half.
- Pour the custard mixture back into the medium sauce pan and cook over medium-ish heat (about 3-4 on the stove).
- This is important, NEVER stop stirring and NEVER boil this mixture. Stir the custard making sure it stays frothy throughout the cooking process, but do not boil or you'll end up with a very large pan of scrambled eggs.
- Once the mixture is steamy (but not boiling) and very hot, remove from heat and pour into a very large bowl.
- Slowly stir into the heated custard mixture, the heavy whipping cream and vanilla.
- In a small bowl, combine the cake mix and the salt, working out all of the lumps from the cake mix, then place the cake/salt mix into a sifter and sift over the bowl of custard.
- Once the cake mix is completely added, mix the custard well, cover, and place in the refrigerator overnight to set up and chill completely (minimum of 10-12 hours, if not a full 24 hours)


- The next day, set up your ice cream maker and follow the directions for making the ice cream. If you are using the KitchenAid attachment, follow these instructions below:


- Assemble and engage the freezer bowl, dasher, and drive assembly and turn to STIR.
- Transfer your custard into a pitcher or container with a spout and slowly pour the mixture into the freezer bowl.
- Continue on the STIR speed for 20-30 minutes.
- After the 20-30 minutes are up, stop the mixer, release the bowl, and transfer the ice cream into freezer containers and chill for 3-5 hours (if not longer) before serving.**


**As I mentioned above, you can immediately eat the ice cream after the 30 minutes are up, but it will be very soupy and not like the marble slab consistency.


To serve: I have served this ice cream with fresh fruit (strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries are my favorite fruit to mix into the cake batter ice cream), caramel and chocolate sauce, and Barnum's Animal Crackers, but this ice cream is amazing all on it's own.


It is possible to mix in fruit during the last 5 minutes of the mixing time and then freeze the ice cream with the fruit already mixed in, but I have found that doing so makes it very hard to scoop the ice cream once it has completely set up because the berries freeze harder than the ice cream, so I keep my fruit fresh and add it to the servings of ice cream.




I hope you enjoy this ice cream as much as the hubby and I have enjoyed it. This recipe will become a staple for my family and me! Enjoy and please feel free to post questions in the comments if there is something I haven't completely covered! :)


Happy Ice Cream Making!

Cheesecake Filling for Cupcakes

You know how the Cheesecake Factory has all of these wonderful half-cheesecake, half-cake desserts like their carrot cake cheesecake and red velvet cheesecake, just to name a few (of my favorites)?  Well, I'm obsessed with those desserts, but I'm also obsessed with cupcakes because they're just such a perfect size and easy to transport, so I've devised my own cheesecake filling for cupcakes.

It may look like a regular cupcake on the outside....

But there's cheesecake on the inside!!!
Cheesecake-filled carrot cake... UH-freakin'-mazing!

And, in case you were wondering, these were Christmas gifts for family...
Warning:  I am not responsible for weight gain or diabetes onset...

I want to let you in on a little secret while I'm talking about cupcakes.  Cupcakes are only as plain as you make them.  Sure, I've slaved away using cake flour and twenty different ingredients to make completely homemade cupcakes, but Betty Crocker isn't bad if you use it as a base.  Those cheesecake-filled carrot cake cupcakes I made last Christmas started out as a Betty Crocker cake mix, but I added extra vanilla, cinnamon, raisins, pineapple, carrot, and pecan chips, and no one could believe I didn't work all day to make a cake from scratch.  Of course, no one also could get past the cheesecake and icing, which were homemade, so I guess it doesn't matter what kind of cake you use as long as you make your own filling and icing.  

So, below is the recipe for homemade cheesecake filling for cupcakes and how to make it work.  I will note that the cheesecake filling only works well with dense cake batter.  If you have a very thin batter, this isn't going to work well for you.

Typical white cupcake with white frosting?  Nope.  Not in this house!

Cheesecake Wedding Cake Cupcakes
White cake with cheesecake and strawberry filling and buttercream frosting

Cheesecake Filling for Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 block (8 oz.) Cream Cheese (room temp)

1 large egg

1/4 cup sugar (brown sugar can give it a slightly different taste, which I personally like)

1/8 tsp salt

Vanilla to taste (somewhere between a teaspoon and a tablespoon)
   

Directions

- With a mixer (I love my KitchenAid Professional Line), beat all ingredients until combined

- With your cake batter, fill the bottom of each cupcake tin just enough to cover the bottom with approx. 1/8" of batter (this doesn't have to be perfect, just fill it less than halfway)

- Now, spoon about a large marble-sized amount of the cheesecake mixture into the center of each cupcake tin

  Note:  If you divide the cheesecake batter properly, you will have just enough to fill 24-26 cupcakes

- Fill the cupcake the rest of the way with cake batter, covering the cheesecake completely (you should have about 1/8" of space left between the batter and top of the cupcake tin

- Bake your cupcakes as you would normally (typically 17-20 minutes; they shouldn't bake any differently)

Note:  You may have a slight marbling effect on the top of the cupcake from some of the cheesecake baking through, but don't worry!  When you ice the cupcakes, you won't be able to see the swirl.

Simple Balsamic Reduction

Warning:  This recipe will make your entire house smell like balsamic vinegar for a good couple of days.  I did not have a problem with this (and actually liked it, myself), but it gave my husband a headache to the point he set up box fans throughout the house and left until the smell had completely vanished.

What an introduction, right?!  I bet everyone will want to make a nice balsamic reduction now!  Oh well, you can't say I didn't warn you.

A balsamic reduction is just a fancy way to say "sweet balsamic vinegar sauce."  It's simple to make with just two ingredients (vinegar and sugar) and absolutely delicious on a number of different things.  I use a balsamic reduction on savory foods like bruschetta and chicken pasta dishes and as a sauce for desserts like chocolate cake, ice cream, fresh fruit (berries are especially nice), and cheesecake.

Thick and delicious balsamic reduction sauce

Simple Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients
1 bottle of (good) balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)

Directions
- In a sauce pan over high heat (8 or 9 on a dial), pour in the entire bottle of balsamic vinegar and whisk until it begins to boil
- Once it begins to boil, turn the heat down to medium (about 4 on a dial) and whisk in sugar
   Note:  As I mentioned above, the sugar is to taste.  I personally like a full 3 tablespoons in mine, but I've come across so many reduction recipes that vary between 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, all the way up to 4 tablespoons, so try different measurements and see which amount works best for you!
- Continue whisking until the vinegar is reduced by half and becomes a thick syrup (coats the back of a spoon)
- Once it reduces by half, turn off the burner and let the reduction cool