26 December 2004

Gramma's Angel Wings

2 1/2 c flour
1/4 t salt
5 jumbo eggs, yolks only
3 T granulated sugar
1/4 t lemon rind
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t almond extract
5 T sour cream

Roll very thin, cut into strips, and make a loose knot; deep fry in Wesson oil. Should be pale.

Butter Mints

1/3 c light corn syrup
1/4 c butter
1 t peppermint extract
1/2 t salt
1 lb confectioners sugar
food coloring, if desired

Combine corn syrup, butter, peppermint extract, and salt. Mix well. Sift in sugar and stir slowly to combine. Mix dough together with hands until smooth ball can be formed.

If using food coloring, divide dough into however many colors you want. Add one drop food coloring to each section. Knead each color into the dough until it is an even tone throughout.

Shape the dough into small balls. Set the balls on a waxed-paper-covered cookie sheet or tray. Flatten balls by pressing with tines of fork. Let mints sit out in the air overnight or at least 4 hours to air dry.

Honey Cake with Stout

not our recipe, but I've lost the source...

3 1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t kosher salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t cardamom
1/8 t cloves
1/8 t nutmeg
3 eggs
1/2 c sugar
2 T mild vegetable oil
1 c dark honey
1 1/4 c dry stout
1 t powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat an angel-food pan with cooking spray and dust the inside with flour.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg together into a medium bowl. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together on high speed until pale yellow and lightly thickened. Add the oil and honey and beat on medium speed until smooth. Beat in a third of the dry mixture, then half the stout, then another third of the dry mixture, then the remaining stout, then the remaining dry mixture, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stop mixing periodically to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Life the pan an inch off the counter and rop it; repeat twice (to release any large air bubbles). Bake on the middle shelf of the oven until a cake tester comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before removing from the pan. Dust the top with powdered sugar before serving. Serve plain, or perhaps with some strawberries or other fresh fruit. Will keep for several days, and the flavor and texture actually improves overnight.