White Chocolate-Dipped Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookies
(recipe from Oxmoor House JUNE 2006)
Ingredients
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 cups sweetened dried cranberries (such as Craisins)
1 ½ cups pecan pieces, toasted
1 ¼ cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
3 (4-ounce) white chocolate baking bars, coarsely chopped (such as Ghiradelli)
3 tablespoons shortening
Preparation
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add egg and vanilla, beating until blended.
Combine flour and next three ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in cranberries, pecans, and oats.
Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 2” apart onto lightly greased baking sheets.
Bake at 375 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes or until light-ly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Microwave white chocolate and shortening in a medi-um-sized microwave-safe bowl on HIGH 1 minute or until chocolate melts, stirring once. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate, letting excess drip back into bowl. Place dipped cookies on wax paper; let stand until firm.

The Dish with Anita: Iced pumpkin scones

Posted: Oct 06, 2011 4:59 PM PDT Updated: Oct 06, 2011 5:09 PM PDT

SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - Now that fall is officially here I can make one of my favorite recipes: iced pumpkin scones. This scone is delicious with almost any of your favorite hot beverages. I like it best with a cup of rich hot chocolate and a touch of cinnamon -- now that makes for a great fall treat. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup dark or light brown sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1 1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice mix (such as McCormick)

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter cubed

3/4 cups pumpkin purée (not pie filling)

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp buttermilk*

1 tsp vanilla extract

Candied ginger for garnish

Optional: 1/2 cup each pecans and raisins

(See below recipe for ginger cinnamon icing)

Instructions:

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

Place dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Using a wire whisk, stir until completely mixed.

Add cold cubed unsalted butter and use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut butter into flour mixture until coarse and crumbly. In a separate mixing bowl, combine pumpkin purée, buttermilk and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Add to dry ingredients one-half at a time and stir with a fork just until combined; add other half being careful not to over-mix. Add nuts and raisins if using.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured hard surface, dust hands with flour then gently knead dough just once or twice. Divide dough into two halves, place on lined baking sheet, gently pat into two flatted circles about one inch high. Brush the tops of the circles with the remaining two tablespoons of buttermilk. Using a very sharp knife, score the tops of each circle with eight triangles, then cut completely through and space about 1/2- to 1-inch apart (you will have 16 triangles total.)

Place in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove scones from freezer, place in 400 preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack before applying icing. If not icing, serve warm.

Cooking Tip:

*If you do not have buttermilk you can substitute by adding one tablespoon white distilled vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of whole milk. Let stand for 5 to 8 minutes before using.

 

Icing for Pumpkin Scones

Ingredients:

2 oz cream cheese, r/t

1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

4 tbsp brown sugar (light or dark)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp milk (more if needed)

1 tbsp each- melted unsalted butter, light corn syrup

Instructions:

Place everything in a mixing bowl except melted butter and light corn syrup. Using a hand mixer, beat until smooth then slowly beat in melted butter and corn syrup. The icing should be a thick liquid consistency. If too thick add more milk; if too thin add a bit more powdered sugar.

Place icing in a shallow bowl and dip tops of cooled scones in icing. Let excess drip back into bowl before placing on a wire rack to dry. While icing is still a bit wet, garnish tops with chopped candied ginger.