READ REPLIES

RECIPE SWAP: Baker's Heaven - All Baking Recipes (cakes, pies and tarts, breads, cookies, pastries, etc.)

Betsy at Recipelink.com

Baker's Heaven - All Baking Recipes
(cakes, pies and tarts, breads, cookies, pastries, etc.)
February 24, 2006

TO ADD A RECIPE ON THIS TOPIC:
Please click the POST REPLY BUTTON.

Recipe: Baked Spider Bread

Betsy at Recipelink.com

BAKED SPIDER BREAD
Source: The Old West Baking Book by Lon Walters

Also called skillet corn bread, Spider Bread has been around for at least two hundred years. Spider Bread was cooked in an open frying pan. The heavy cast-iron skillet was designed to stand on three 'spiderlike' legs over hot coal. The hot fire could bake the bread in fifteen minutes, perfect for chuck wagon or wagon train cooks on the move. Since skillet breads baked so quickly, their texture left something to be desired, but this mattered little to hungry trail riders. Our updated recipe bakes Spider Bread in the oven for a finer, more evenly textured dish, but it maintains the look of the Old Wes variety and is a hearty corn bread you won �I soon forget.

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

In a large mixing bowl, blend all the dry ingredients. Add buttermilk, egg. and melted butter. Lightly blend until just mixed.

Pour into well-greased 9-inch or 10-inch frying pan. If no frying pan is available, use a large cake pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Spider bread is done when an inserted toothpick comes out cleanly.

When served piping hot with butter melting. Spider Bread just can�t be beat. Slice into pie-shaped wedges.

Recipe: Rice Loaf

Betsy at Recipelink.com

RICE LOAF
Source: The Old West Baking Book by Lon Walters

Rice wasn't widely used in the Old West until late in the history of range cooking. It wasn't that it didn�t taste great; it�s just that few knew how to prepare it. Many entertaining stories tell of cooks placing two or three handfuls in a small pot and the resulting expansive mess flowing all over the campfire. When cooks finally cracked the code on portion control, they blended rice with many other ingredients. The 'swamp seed,' as it was termed, was versatile and tasty. This is an example of one of its many uses. It�s also one of the nicest-textured loaves in the entire quick bread family.

1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/4 cups cooked rice
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 7-inch loaf pan or muffin cups.

Blend egg, milk, and melted butter. Stir in rice until well mixed.

In a separate bowl, blend baking powder, sugar, salt, and flour. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir just enough to blend, about 20 seconds at the most. There will be lumps, but that�s OK. Pour into buttered 7-inch loaf pan, or use muffin cups and fill to two-thirds full.

Place into preheated 400 degree F oven and bake until tops are rounded, cracked, and brown, about 15-18 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Serve hot, cold, or in between; they work well at any temperature.

VARIATIONS:
- Add 1/2 cup raisins with the rice.

- For a 'ricier' taste, add 1/2 cup of rice flour and reduce the all-purpose by the same amount.

- A teaspoon of orange bits (or grated orange peel) added with the dry ingredients, or a tablespoon of orange marmalade added with the wet ingredients, creates a nice zip.

Recipe: Mississippi Mud Bundt Cake with Espresso-Bourbon Glaze

Betsy at Recipelink.com

MISSISSIPPI MUD BUNDT CAKE
WITH ESPRESSO-BOURBON GLAZE
Source: Mom's Big Book of Baking: 200 Simple, Foolproof Recipes for Delicious Family Treats to Get You Through Every Birthday Party, Class Picnic, Potluck, Bake Sale, Holiday, and No-School Day by Lauren Chattman

I developed this recipe for Bon Appetit magazine; they were looking for simple desserts to follow barbecue dinners. This homey Southern-style cake delivers good dose of sweetness - just what I want after a spicy dinner of chicken and ribs.

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 ounces (6 squares) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup brewed espresso or very strong coffee
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup bourbon
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Espresso-Bourbon Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 12-cup Bundt pan.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

Combine the butter, chocolate, and espresso in a medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until the chocolate and butter have melted. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the sugar and bourbon and whisk until the sugar has dissolved and mixture is smooth,

Place the eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Gradually beat in the chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture and until just combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely.

Place the cake atop a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Slowly drizzle the glaze over the cake, allowing it to run down the sides of the cake, covering as much of the cake as possible. Spoon any glaze drippings from the baking sheet over the cake. Let the glaze set for 30 minutes.

Mississippi Mud Bundt Cake will keep for 2 days at room temperature, covered with a cake dome.

ESPRESSO-BOURBON GLAZE
Makes enough to glaze one bundt or angel food cake.

This is a very simple glaze, good for drizzling over Bundt-style cakes.

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
6 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, silted
2 tablespoons bourbon

Stir the butter, brown sugar and espresso powder together in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Stir in the heavy cream. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Gradually add the confectioner's sugar, whisking until smooth. Mix in the bourbon. Let the glaze cool slightly before using.

Recipe: Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (homemade oreos)

Betsy at Recipelink.com

CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES

"These are so much better than store-bought cookies that I just scream in frustration when my brand-conscious five-year-old insists that she prefers Oreos. Letting her lick the icing bowl goes a little way toward persuading her to at least try my version. And she never actually refuses to eat the finished product. I prefer butter in the filling for its flavor, but if you use butter you ll have eat the cookies right away. Filling made with vegetable shortening will last several days."

FOR THE COOKIES:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup (I stick) unsalted butter, softened, or vegetable shortening
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons water

MAKE THE COOKIES:
Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

Cream the butter and granulated sugar together in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.

Divide the dough into 2 portions. Shape each portion into a log about 9-inches long and 1 /2-inches in diameter Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or for up to 24 hours. Dough logs may be wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost the dough on the counter for 15 minutes before proceeding.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice the dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.

Bake the cookies until they are dry on top, 6 to 8 minutes (a minute or two longer for partially frozen dough). Let them stand on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then remove them from the sheet with a metal spatula to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

MAKE THE FILLING:
Cream the butter or vegetable shortening and confectioners sugar together in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Add the water and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Use the filling immediately, or cover the surface of the filling with plastic wrap. If using butter, store the filling in the refrigerator for up to 1 day and re-whip it before using. If using vegetable shortening, store the filling at room temperature for up to several days and re-whip it before using.

FILL THE COOKIES:
Spoon 1 teaspoon of the filling onto the flat side of a cooled cookie. Sandwich with another cookie, Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies are best eaten on the day they are made. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes about 36 cookies
Source: Mom's Big Book of Baking: 200 Simple, Foolproof Recipes for Delicious Family Treats to Get You Through Every Birthday Party, Class Picnic, Potluck, Bake Sale, Holiday, and No-School Day by Lauren Chattman

Recipe: Coconut Bundt Cake with Simple Chocolate Sauce or Warm Blueberry Sauce (using unsweetened coconut)

Betsy at Recipelink.com

COCONUT BUNDT CAKE
Source: Mom's Big Book of Baking: 200 Simple, Foolproof Recipes for Delicious Family Treats to Get You Through Every Birthday Party, Class Picnic, Potluck, Bake Sale, Holiday, and No-School Day by Lauren Chattman

I love unsweetened dried coconut, which is available in natural food stores, because it�s fluffy and light, not heavy and sticky-sweet like the sweetened flaked coconut sold in supermarkets. Stirred into yellow cake batter, coconut gives this Bundt cake a slightly chewy texture and a great coconut flavor. If you are a coconut-and-chocolate person, serve this cake with warm chocolate sauce if you are a coconut-and-fruit person, serve it with Warm Blueberry Sauce.

3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour (not sell-rising)
I 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 /2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
Simple Chocolate Sauce or Warm Blueberry Sauce (recipes follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the inside of a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray and dust it with flour, knocking out any extra flour.

Combine the eggs, milk, and vanilla in a glass measuring cup and lightly beat. Combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, pour one-third of egg mixture into the bowl in a slow stream Add one-third of the flour mixture. Add another third of the egg mixture and another third of the flour mixture. Add the remaining egg mixture and then the remaining flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Stir in the coconut. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake the cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely.

Spoon some warm chocolate sauce or warm blueberry sauce on each slice just before serving, if desired.

Coconut Bundt Cake will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, covered with a cake dome.

SIMPLE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

This is the easiest sauce I know. It can be varied adding 1 tablespoon of orange, hazelnut, or coffee liqueur. For the best results, use a top-quality bittersweet chocolate such as Lindt, Ghirardelli, Callebaut.

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon flavored liqueur (optional)

Put 2-inches of water in a medium saucepan and bring to bare simmer.

Combine the chocolate and water in a stainless steel bowl big enough to rest on top of the saucepan and it on top of the simmering water, making sure that the water doesn�t touch the bowl. Heat, whisking occasionally, until chocolate is completely melted. Turn off the heat. Stir in liqueur if desired.

The sauce may be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes or over a of simmering water.

WARM BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Blueberry sauce is delicious on a variety of pancakes and waffles. You substitute raspberries or hulled and sliced if you like.

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste
1 teaspoon strained fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Combine the blueberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes (frozen blueberries will take longer than fresh ones will).

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter it is melted.

Serve the sauce warm or pour it into a tightly covered container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Reheat it before serving (hut do not boil it, or the butter will separate out).

Recipe: Ricardo's Apple Cake (very different)

Thomas of Delaware

Apple mixture is layered onto the batter in two phases. Can't wait to try this one:

RICARDO'S APPLE CAKE
(very different)

6 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced; Pink Lady or Granny Smith
3 cups flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup canola oil
4 large eggs
1/4 cup apple cider
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 5 tablespoons of sugar over the apples, then mix and set aside.

In a large bowl sift together flour, the rest of the sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the canola oil, eggs, juice and vanilla. Mix the ingredients until batter is creamy.

Pour half of batter into lightly greased and floured tube pan. Layer half of the apples, then the rest of the batter, and then the remainder of the apples in the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Serve warm with a good quality vanilla ice cream and a nice cup of coffee or tea of your choice. No frosting is needed. The apples create a moist and flavorful topping and filling.

Experiment by adding a cup of fresh cranberries to the batter, or substitute apples for pears.

Description:
"It tastes just like an apple dumpling! This is a quintessential comfort food. Johnny Appleseed would be proud after eating this cake due to the fruits of his labor."

NOTES : This has to be one of the most delicious apple cake recipes that I have ever tried. It tastes just like an apple dumpling! This is a quintessential comfort food. Johnny Appleseed would be proud after eating this cake due to the fruits of his labor.

Servings: 8
Source: Chris Willey

Recipe: Gingersnaps

Betsy at Recipelink.com

GINGERSNAPS
Source: Grandma's Wartime Baking Book: World War II and the Way We Baked by Joanne Lamb Hayes
Makes 48 cookies

Wartime bakers found that gingersnaps could be made with a minimum of sugar, shortening, and effort and they traveled well. These can be hand-shaped as directed, or rolled out and cut with cookie cutters when more time is available.

2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup vegetable shortening or butter (or a mixture), melted
1 large egg, well beaten
water for moistening hands

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 baking sheets.

Stir together flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat together sugar, molasses, shortening, and egg in a large howl; stir in dry ingredients until thoroughly blended.

Divide mixture into 48 mounds on a sheet of waxed paper. With well-moistened hands, roll dough mounds into halls and place 2-inches apart on baking sheets,

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until firm and crinkled. Remove to wire racks to cool and repeat with remaining dough.

Serve or pack in an airtight container.

Recipe(tried): James McNair's Pizza Dough (using Kitchenaid mixer)

Peg / MA.

Absolutely nothing beats this pizza dough recipe.

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH
(Using a Kitchenaid Mixer with Dough Hook)
Source: James McNair

1 tbsp. sugar
1 cup warm water (112-115 degrees f.)
**use instant-read thermometer**
1 envelope quick-rising active dry yeast
3 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place all dry ingredients, except 1/4 cup flour, into mixing bowl.
Attach dough hook and mix for 15 seconds at #2 speed.

Slowly add water and oil.
Knead 5 minutes at #2 speed scraping down sides as needed.

[If dough is too crumbly add water a little at a time.
If dough is too sticky add flour a little at a time
Dough should be smooth and elastic.]

Remove from mixer and form into a ball and place into a well oiled bowl,
turning to coat evenly. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise 'til double in size, about 45 minutes.

Punch dough down. Divide onto 2 sprayed pizza pans, smoothing to fit evenly.

Rub pizza with a little Olive Oil. Cover with your favorite sauce. Cover well with shredded cheese(s) of choice. Place extra toppings over cheese.
(Pepperoni, sliced Onions, Peppers, etc.)

Preheated 525 degree F oven / 5-8 minutes
WATCH !
***********************************************************
If you cannot bake pizza within 2 hours after rising, punch dough down again,
turn it in an oiled bowl to coat once more; cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. (The dough can be punched down a total of 4 times and kept refrigerated up to 36 hours before the yeast is exhausted and the dough unusable.)

Let chilled dough come to room temperature before proceeding.

Recipe: Extra-Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies

Betsy at Recipelink.com

EXTRA-CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Source: Easy Cookies by Linda Collister
Makes 20 cookies

For the best flavor, use an all-natural peanut butter with no added sugar or fat. The crunchy coating made by rolling the cookie mixture in roasted (but unsalted) peanuts before baking.

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/3 cups roasted unsalted peanut halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 baking sheets.

Put the soft butter, peanut butter, sugar, beaten egg, vanilla, and flour in a large bowl; mix well with a wooden spoon.

When thoroughly combined, take walnut-size portions of the dough (about a tablespoon) and roll into balls with your hands.

Put the peanut halves in a shallow dish, then roll the dough in the nuts. Arrange the balls well apart on the prepared pans, then gently flatten slightly with your fingers.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degree F for 12-15 minutes until light golden brown. Let cool in the pan for a couple of minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container and eat within 5 days or freeze for to a month.

Recipe: Lemon Drop Cookies (Anginetti) with Confectioner's Frosting

Betsy at Recipelink.com

LEMON DROP COOKIES (ANGINETTI)
Source: Sweet Maria's Italian Cookie Tray: A Cookbook by Maria Bruscino Sanchez
Makes 50 cookies

When most people think of Italian cookies, they're usually referring to these light, frosted treats. Our family has always frosted them pure white, but feel free to add a few drops of food coloring to the frosting or sprinkle the moist frosting with colored sprinkles.

3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups flour
8 teaspoons baking powder
Confectioners' Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs, milk, lemon extract, sugar, and oil until well blended.

On low speed, add flour and baking powder. Mix until just blended. The dough should be soft and sticky.

Lightly dust the dough and your fingers with a little additional flour. Drop the dough from a teaspoon onto a lightly greased cookie sheet, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart.

Bake immediately for 8 to 10 minutes, or until slightly browned. Remove cookie sheet from oven. Using a metal spatula, remove cookies from sheet onto wire racks. Cool on wire racks.

Frost with Lemon Confectioners� Frosting (see the following recipe).

If it is necessary to freeze cookies, use heavy-duty plastic freezer bags and freeze the cookies unfrosted.

CONFECTIONER'S FROSTING
Yields enough for 50 cookies

This is a basic glaze that can be used for several different cookies. It is a very versatile icing. You can substitute anise or another extract to create different flavors.

6 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup water

In an electric mixer on medium speed, beat all ingredients until smooth.

Using a metal spatula. frost the tops of the cookies, The frosting will drip down the sides and coat the cookies.

Dry the frosted cookies on wire cooling racks. Store in an airtight container.

VARIATIONS:

LEMON CONFECTIONERS� FROSTING:
Substitute 2 teaspoons lemon extract for the vanilla extract

ORANGE CONFECTIONERS� FROSTING:
Substitute 2 teaspoons orange extract for the vanilla extract and 1/2 cup orange juice for the water.

Recipe: Olive Oil Honey Cake

Betsy at Recipelink.com

OLIVE OIL HONEY CAKE
Source: Cakes from Scratch in Half the Time by Linda West Eckhardt
Makes one 9-inch single-layer cake to serve 8

Italians believe olive oil is good for everything. Taste this cake and you�ll know they�re right. The cake is tender, aromatic, and tangy with just a hint of lemon. Add a topping of seasonal berries and/or fruits.

3 large eggs
3/4 cup mild honey
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 lime
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioners� sugar, for dusting
Fresh, seasonal fruit and berries, for serving

Prepare to bake. Arrange the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 400 degrees F Spritz a 9-inch shiny round aluminum cake pan with Baker�s Joy and set aside. (Because this cake is made with oil instead of butter or shortening the pan requires careful spritzing with Bakers Joy the cake has something to hang on to while it bakes.)

Place the unbroken eggs in a bowl of hot water for about 5 minutes.

Beat the honey and eggs together with an electric mixer, then add the milk, lemon juice, and zest and mix well.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt onto a piece of wax paper. Spoon this into the honey mixture and stir until mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until a wooden pick comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip the cake out onto the rack to cool completely.

Dust with confectioners� sugar and serve with fruit and berries.

Recipe: Dark Whole Wheat Bread

Betsy at Recipelink.com

DARK WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
Source: Old World Breads by Charel Scheele
Yield: 2 medium-size loaves

This basic whole grain recipe was a winner at both the 1975 Platte County Fair and the 1975 Wyoming State Fair. It has a pleasant whole grain flavor and is delicious when served fresh with butter and cheese.

1 cake yeast
2 cups warm (110 degree F) water*
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Approximately 4 cups whole wheat flour

Lightly grease a baking sheet with vegetable shortening.

In a 6-quart mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the remaining ingredients, mixing the salt in with the flour, and work them into a dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 6 to 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and glossy.

Return the dough to the mixing bowl and cover it with a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm (75 degree F) place for 45 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Divide the dough into 2 equal halves and shape each piece into an oblong loaf. Set the loaves on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise again for 45 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the loaves from the baking sheet at once and allow them to cool on a wire rack.

*Variation:
You can substitute 2 cups warm (110 degree F) buttermilk for the water.

Recipe: Farmer's Wheat Bread

Betsy at Recipelink.com

FARMER'S WHEAT BREAD
Source: Old World Breads by Charel Scheele
Yield: 2 medium-size loaves

Known as Dutcb Boeren Tarve Brood, this bread originated in the firms around Axel, a small city the Dutch part of Flanders, where the farmers� baked bread only once a week, usually on Fridays. This slightly sweet, moist bread will keep for a week in a bread box. It makes good sandwiches and tasty French toast.

1 cake yeast
1 cup warm (110 degree F) water
1 cup warm (110 degree F) milk
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons honey or sugar
1 egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole wheat flour
Approximately 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Lightly grease a baking sheet with vegetable shortening

In a 6-quart mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the milk. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients, mixing the salt with flours, and work them into a dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 6 to 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and glossy.

Return the dough to the mixing bowl and cover with a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm (75 degree F) place for 50 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Divide the dough into 2 equal halves and shape each piece into an oblong loaf. Set the loaves on the prepared baking sheet. Cover the loaves with a towel and let them rise again for 50 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the loaves from the baking sheet at once and allow them to cool on a wire rack.

Recipe: Vienna Style Bread

Betsy at Recipelink.com

VIENNA STYLE BREAD
Source: Old World Breads by Charel Scheele
Yield: 2 medium-size loaves

One of the most pleasant traditions in Vienna in the summer is the tasting of the new wine made from the grapes of the previous autumn. Usually a light white wine is served with smoked meats, cheeses, radishes, and some good Vienna-style bread.

1 cake yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
Approximately 6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F)
1 teaspoon corn oil or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon honey or sugar
2 egg whites, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Sesame seeds

In a 6-quart mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast the water. Add 1 cup of the flour. Mix well. Let this ferment for 1 hour in a warm (75 degree F) place.

Then add the milk, oil, honey, 1 of the egg whites, the salt, and the remaining 5 cups flour, working them into a dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 6 to 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and glossy.

Return the dough to the mixing bowl and cover it with a towel. Let rise in a warm (75 degrees F) place for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Divide the dough into 2 equal halves and shape each piece into an oblong loaf. Set the loaves on a baking sheet that has been liberally dusted with cornmeal. Brush with the remaining egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Let rise again in a warm place for 45 to 50 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 30 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet at once and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.

Recipe: Pie Crust Cookies with Cinnamon Sugar

Betsy at Recipelink.com

PIE CRUST COOKIES WITH CINNAMON SUGAR
Source: The Ultimate Cookie Cookbook by Barbara Grunes
Makes 30-40 cookies, depending on size and shape

For centuries, children have loved snacking on the 'cookies' baked from leftover scraps of pie pastry. This is a more formal version of those tantalizing scraps. It�s easier, too - you don�t have to make a pie.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 teaspoon lemon juice or cider vinegar
5 to 6 tablespoons ice water
3 tablespoons sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Place flour, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl or a food processor bowl. Mix thoroughly. Cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add lemon juice or vinegar and enough ice water to make a dough that just clings together. Cover dough with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll dough our on a lightly floured board or pastry cloth to 1/8-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake in the center of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Recipe: Maple Pecan Cookies with Maple Frosting

Betsy at Recipelink.com

MAPLE PECAN COOKIES
Source: The Ultimate Cookie Cookbook by Barbara Grunes
Makes 30 cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup ricotta cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon maple extract or flavoring
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease or spray cookie sheets.

Soften butter for 1 to 2 minutes at medium speed. Add ricotta and beat at high speed until creamy. Stir in maple extract and sugar. Beat in egg. Blend in flour, baking soda, and salt at high speed to make a medium dough. Stop mixing and scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.

Stir in nuts. Using two spoons as guides, drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets, spacing cookies about 1 1/2-inches apart.

Bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes, or until cookies are firm to the touch and a light golden brown on the bottom. Remove from the oven and let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

You can sprinkle a small amount of chopped nuts on the cookies before baking. Another alternative is to frost the cookies with maple frosting when they are cool.

TO MAKE MAPLE FROSTING:
Cream 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature. Beat in 1 cup confectioners� sugar, 1 teaspoon maple extract, and 2 to 4 tablespoons milk to make a creamy frosting.