Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Swedish Almond Puff

My mom has had this recipe for years. It's great for brunch, breakfast, or dessert. It's something that's pretty easy but has huge payoff! Folks think you've really slaved away! I love taking it to Bible study and MOPS.

Crust:
1 cup flour
1 stick melted butter or margarine (I use Imperial margarine)
1 tablespoon water

Stir together until mixed. Pat into two strips on ungreased cookie sheet.

Puff:
1 stick butter or margarine
1 cup water
1 cup flour
3 eggs
¼- ½ cup sliced almonds (you can use chopped pecans)

Place water and butter in a medium saucepan over high heat; bring to a boil and melt butter. Remove from heat. Add flour and stir well. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Spread evenly over crust. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 375 for 35 to 45 minutes; until puffed and golden.

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring
A few teaspoons milk or water

Stir together, adding enough milk or water to drizzle.

Drizzle over warm puff. Cut into pieces.

NOTE: If you plan to take this somewhere, be sure to cover loosely (or not at all) or ice when you get to your destination. It tends to sweat if you cover it tightly (even if it’s room temperature when you cover it).

Monday, March 26, 2012

Resurrection Cookies

With Easter approaching, I thought I would post this recipe. It's great to do with your kids. I've done it with the kids at church before and they really had fun with it. You can just tell the story with little ones; with older children, read the verses.

I admit that mine aren't usually cracked or hollow but there's a small space inside that I guess could be considered a hollow space. The cookies are delicate so they do not travel well.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Smell & taste vinegar. Place 1 teaspoon vinegar in a mixing bowl. When Jesus was on the cross, he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30

Add 3 egg whites to the bowl. Eggs represent life. Jesus gave his life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle salt into your hand. Taste it. Put some in the bowl. This represents Jesus’ followers’ tears and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far the ingredients aren’t very appetizing.

Add 1 cup of sugar. The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat the egg mixture until stiff peaks form.

Place 1 cup pecan halves or pieces in a ziplock bag. Let the kids beat them with a wooden spoon to break them into small pieces. After Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Back to the eggs: The color white represents how pure we are in God’s eyes when our sins are forgiven and cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Put cookie sheet in oven, close the door, and turn the oven off. Let the children tape oven door shut just like the tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

Go to bed! It was difficult for Jesus’ followers when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

The next morning: The cookies are cracked and hollow. Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb empty! Read Matthew 28:1-9.

NOTE: If you would prefer, make these during the day and instead of leaving the cookies in the oven all night, simply make sure your oven is cold before you take them out (try not to open the door more than once or twice since the heat left in the oven is what cooks the cookies). You need to allow 3 or more hours for this process.

Also, to release the cookies easily after baking, pull the wax paper up off of the cookie sheet. The cookies usually pop right off.