1 2/3 cups all purpose flour, spooned into the measuring cup and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups M&M’s and/or chocolate chips, see note
1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-quart Mason jar
Wet Ingredients
1/2 cup melted butter
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsps vanilla extract
Directions
Layer the dry ingredients into a Mason jar and store or give as gifts.
When ready to use, whisk 1/2 cup of melted butter, 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
Add the contents of the jar and gently stir until combined.
Place in refridgerator for 30 minutes
Scoop 2 tablespoon portions of dough. Place the dough balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers of the cookies are slightly undone. Place baking sheets on racks and cool completely.
Notes: You can either make this recipe with all chocolate chips or all M&M’s or half of each. The colour of the M&M’s will bleed slightly into the cookie dough (once prepared), use half M&M’s and half chocolate chips.
Put into a 350 degree F, preheated air fryer for 10 minutes
Let cool and spray with a little oil or dunk in milk, then roll into cinnamon-sugar mixture or drizzle a glaze overtop. (You don’t need to do this if you’re watching your sugar intack or use a sugar-free option, see below)
Glaze Options:
You could coat bites with a mixture of 3 parts icing sugar to 1 part milk (more liquid makes it thinner). The liquid used in a powdered sugar glaze can be simply water or milk mixed with a flavoring, or the liquid itself can impart flavor. Citrus juice like orange, lemon, or lime juices can be used as well as any kind of liquore. Powdered Sugar Glaze Flavor Options: Vanilla Glaze: Powdered Sugar, Milk, Vanilla Extract (this is the kind of glaze used to make classic glazed donuts) Almond Glaze: Powdered Sugar, Milk, Almond Extract Lemon Glaze: Powdered Sugar, Lemon Juice, Lemon Zest Orange Glaze: Powdered Sugar, Orange Juice, Orange Zest Lime Glaze: Powdered Sugar, Lime Juice, Lime Zest Coffee Glaze: Powdered Sugar, Coffee Apple Cider Glaze: Powdered Sugar, Apple Cider, Cinnamon
Making powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
You will need a high-powered food processor, or coffee grinder or blender. Ensure it is clean and free of moisture. Add granulated sugar and blend until it is fluffy and smooth. Put though a fine strainer and return any clumps to be processed again. A cup of granulated sugar should yeld about 2 cups of powdered sugar.
Sugar Free option:
¾ cup Sugar Free Granular Alternative (such as Splenda)
2 tablespoons Cornstarch
2 teaspoons Milk (or water)
½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract (or other extract for taste)
Mix together to form a glaze
Note: These can be frozen and then reheated into a microwave for a few seconds.
Yes, that’s right no need to try to figure out how many of this and how many of that. You only use a cup to measure the ingredients…easy breezy to remember
Ingredients
1 cup of all purpose flour
1 cup of milk
1 cup of eggs (just keep cracking those eggs till they fill up the cup)
2 tbsp of shortening or lard or beef drippings
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C)
Whisk all ingredients together and let stand for 5 minutes
In a large muffin tin or 8″x8″ square pan put in lard and then put into the preheated oven.
Pour batter into smoking hot muffin tins or pan
Bake in hot oven and let puddings dry about 10 minutes
Temperatures and Cooking Times:
First bake at 450°F (230°C) – 15 minutes
Then lower temperature to 350°F (180°C) 10-15 minutes
Then turn off and let bake for 10 minutes in oven
Finally remove from oven and let them sit for 5 minutes
½ cup coffee liqueur, or ½ cup strong black coffee (You can also make an instant coffee)
Zest and juice of 2 oranges or a combination of oranges and lemons
1 cup chopped glace cherries
1 cup candied citrus peel or pineapple, mango or papaya (I use a combination of each)
1 1/2 cups pecans (7 oz), roughly chopped
2 tsp allspice
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
3 tbsp cocoa (Yes cocoa) it melds well with the coffee but doesn’t taste chocolatey)
3 eggs
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
½ cup ground hazelnuts or slivered almonds or walnuts
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
Note: This cake is a combination of all your favourite fruits and nuts, so substitute as you wish.
Prepare pans: I use 2 loaf pans. lightly butter the pans and then line with parchment paper. You can cut two pieces and line up then down then up the other side. Then use the remaining piece to line the bottom and up the sides in the other direction.
If you use a round springform pan, lightly butter sides and bottom. Line bottom with parchment paper then the sides with a strip of parchment paper.
Directions
Melt butter over medium heat, add the dates, currents, prunes, raisins, molasses, brown sugar, spices, coffee or coffee liqueur, orange zest and orange juice in a large saucepan.
Bring everything to a low boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool down (about an hour). This is so when you add the eggs they will not become cooked eggs
When cool, add in beaten eggs
Sift in cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and flour
Add all the ground nuts and the cooled boiled mixture
Fold in the cherries, citrus peel and candied fruit
Pour into the prepared baking pans.
Decorate with pecan halves and candied cherries.
Bake at 300 degrees F. for about 1 1/2 hours. depending on the pan size.
Test for doneness with a tooth pick. This is a challenge due to the fruit sticking to the tooth pick.
Remove from oven and allow to completely cool.
Note: If your candied fruit are too dry, add them while cooking the prunes, raisins etc. This will add back the moisture.
Options:
You can spread some of your favourite marmalade over top when the cake is still warm.
Or poke small holes in the top and bottom and pour about 4 oz of your favourite alcohol such as a flavoured brandy, rum or whiskey. Half on top and half on the bottom. Wrap several layers of alcohol socked cheesecloth.
Or soak your fruit in alcohol instead. Here is a link to show you how. Use the fruit above and soak according to directions in video.
Wrap cake in several layers of plastic wrap and store in a cool place
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