Jelly Belly Cookie Boxes

Jelly Belly Cookie Boxes

original source and credits:  http://www.glorioustreats.com/2015/03/jelly-belly-cookie-boxes.html

Flowers and jelly beans… two sure signs that spring is here!
Of course these aren’t just any flowers, or just any jelly beans… I created these “sweet” flowers with Jelly Belly jelly beans!
And what’s better than a cookie topped with Jelly Belly beans?  How about cookies topped AND filled with Jelly Belly jelly beans!
These Jelly Belly Cookie Boxes are so colorful and fun, they’d be perfect for Easter, a ladies tea, or any spring celebration!
If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you already know I love making cookie boxes!  I’ve created different designs for most every holiday, and these are my new favorite!  The colorful Spring Jewel mix from Jelly Belly created the perfect inspiration for these spring cookie boxes!

Ready to make some pretty cookies?
Let’s get started!
You’ll need…
1.)  A batch of cookies made with my Sugar Cookie Recipe.
2.)  Two circle cookie cutters, one about 3/4″ smaller in diameter than the other.  I used cutters that were 2.5″ and 1.75″ in diameter.   For each finished cookie box you’ll need 4 cookies.  One batch of dough will make about 5 finished cookie boxes using the same dimensions I’ve used.
3.)  A batch of Royal Icing.
4.)  Jelly Belly jelly beans to decorate the tops of the cookie boxes, and fill them.  For the flowers shown, I used Jewel Sour Lemon, Jewel Sour Apple and Jewel Orange Jelly Belly jelly beans.

Directions –
Bake the cookies – Prepare cookie dough (as directed in the recipe linked above), then cut out circles using your larger circle cutter.  For each finished cookie box you’ll need 4 circle cookies. I used a 2.5″ cookie cutter, but feel free to adjust the size as you wish.  Bake the cookies WHOLE (do not cut out the centers until after the cookies are baked).  As soon as the cookies are baked and you have removed them from the oven (but they are still hot) use the smaller circle to cut into the center of HALF of your cookies.  Cut through the dough with the smaller cutter, but do not touch the cookies (leave the cutout center in place).  Allow the cookies to cool a minute or two on the baking sheet, then use a spatula to carefully move the cookies, with the cutout intact, onto the cooling rack.  Once the cookies have cooled fully, THEN remove the inner circle.  You may need to use the smaller cutter to make sure the inner circle is cut cleanly through.
Once you have each of the piece you need, set them together in sets with one whole cookies as the bottom of the “cookie box”, then add two rings and then you’ll need one whole cookie as the top (pictured below)

Decorate the cookies – Decorate the cookie tops with royal icing as desired.  I colored my icing light blue.  Outline and then fill in with the blue icing (or a color of your choice), then allow to fully dry, at least 4-8 hours.
While you wait on the icing to dry, prepare the Jelly Belly “flowers”.  I created these same kind of flowers for my Jelly Belly Flower Cake, so hop on over to that post for step by step photos on how to make the flowers and leaves.
Cut the Jelly Belly beans (as show in the Jelly Belly Flower Cake post) and set the candies together on your work surface in the same way you plan to assemble then on the cookies.  For the Jelly Belly flowers I made in the cake post I “glued” the candies together with royal icing so I could quickly assemble the finished cake.  For these cookies, there is no need to glue the flowers together ahead of time.  Simply cut the candies as needed, and set aside.  Once the base icing on the cookies is fully dry, use royal icing to attach each “flower petal” (Jelly Belly halves) directly to the iced cookie.
If desired, after you’ve added the flower and leaves to the cookies, add a simple dotted border (I used white icing) to finish off the look.
I chose a simple and elegant look by creating the same daisy-like flower on each cookie.  Feel free to create flowers in a mixture of colors.





Wouldn’t these Jelly Belly Cookie Boxes look amazing as place settings on your Easter table?   They’d be perfect for a garden party, tea party, or any spring celebration!
Be sure to visit Jelly Belly to stock up on these pretty spring jelly beans!
Love Jelly Belly jelly beans?  Here are a couple more beautiful and creative ideas from friends…
Jelly Bean Fudge – from Shugary Sweets
Feather Her Nest Baby Shower, with adorable birds nest cupcakes – from Creative Juice

Disclosure – I was provided product and/or payment in exchange for my work creating this post.  All images, text and opinions are my own.  I only work with brands I use and love.

Lemon Rhubarb Mascarpone Mousse Cake

 source:     delectable deliciousness: Fancy little lemon-rhubarb mousse cakes

Lemon Rhubarb Mascarpone Mousse Cake:

For the tulip paste:
4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup egg whites, at room temperature
4 ounces all purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2 Tb cocoa powder.

Cream the butter and powdered sugar together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together and add to the butter mixture and mix until incorporated. Do not overmix. Use right away or store in the refrigerator, taking it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it.
Pour the batter into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a ruler set on top of the sheet as your guide, pipe lines with the tulip paste onto the parchment paper, or any shape you desire. You can also smooth a large amount of the paste on the paper and using a ruler set on the rim of the pan, use a decorator comb to drag on the batter to form lines. When I make somewhat straight lines, this is the method I use, and I use the pastry bag method for lace patterns and others. Set the baking sheet in the freezer until the tulip paste is firm. Keep frozen until you are ready to pour the cake batter on top.

For the ribbon sheet cake:
4 ounces finely ground almonds (I used slivered)
3 ounces powdered sugar
1 ounce all purpose flour
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
3 egg whites
1 ounce granulated sugar
1 ounce melted unsalted butter

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the almonds, powdered sugar, flour and 2 eggs until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of your bowl with a spatula and add the remaining 2 eggs and the yolk until well combined. Set aside.
Whip the egg whites in a separate bowl until they appear foamy, add the granulated sugar in a steady stream and whip until you get a glossy meringue. Fold the meringue mixture into the egg/flour mixture. Stir in the melted butter and fold until all the ingredients are well incorporated but without deflating your meringue base.

Remove the baking sheet with the tulip paste from the freezer and pour the cake batter on top. Bake at 450F for about 6-8 minutes or until the sponge becomes to color. Remove from the oven, let cool a few minutes and invert your cake onto a piece of parchment paper. Peel the baking paper. Let cool before using. You can keep it wrapped in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for a month. Bring it back to room temperature before you fit it in the pastry rings. Line 6-8 pastry rings (depending on their size, mine are 3 inches wide) with parchment paper, cut 1.5 inches wide strips of cake and cut them to fit around the inside of your rings. Divide the mousse inside the rings and let set.

For the mousse:
1 egg, separated
2 TB sugar
2 oz mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
75 ml. heavy cream
1 tsp. powdered gelatin (1/2 sheet) + 1 Tb water
zest and juice of one lemon
1 cup cooked rhubarb

Sprinkle the gelatin over the water, stir and let sit to bloom. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the mascarpone with the sugar, add 1 egg yolk and whisk until well incorporated. Heat the gelatin for about 10 seconds in the microwave and quickly whisk it in the mascarpone batter. Add the lemon juice and zest. Whip the egg white until stiff, fold into the mascarpone mixture. Add the cooked rhubarb. Whip the heavy cream to medium stiff peaks, and fold into the mascarpone. Divide it evenly and carefully among the pastry rings. Store in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours or overnight.

Granted it takes a tad longer than a baking brownies but it is just as fun and as good, and if you like playing with shapes, batters and let your imagination run wild, this is a good project to tackle in the kitchen. The end result is so tasty you won't be disappointed!

Paleuri cu ciocolata

Paleuri cu ciocolată
Ingrediente:
pentru aluat:
    4 ouă
    1 pachet de unt
    200 gr zahăr farin
    300 gr făină
    1 linguriţă praf copt
    vanilie
pentru cremă:
    150 ml frişcă lichidă
    1 tabletă de ciocolată neagră sau de menaj
    esenţă rom
pentru glazură:
    o tabletă de ciocolată cu lapte
Mod de preparare:
Untul moale se mixează cu zahărul pudră până devine o spumă cremoasă, iar apoi se adaugă ouăle pe rând.
Se mixează în continuare până când acestea se încorporează, iar apoi se adaugă în ploaie făina amestecată cu praful de copt.
Cu ajutorul unui poş de cofetărie, se fac fursecurile ce se aşează pe o tavă tapetată cu hârtie de copt.
Se introduce tavă la cuptorul preîncălzit la foc mediu şi se lasă 10 minute până se rumenesc uşor.

Între timp se pregăteşte crema din frişcă şi ciocolată, punându-le pe ambele într-o crăticioară pe foc mic şi lăsându-le până când ciocolata începe să se topească. Se amestecă bine pentru a se omogeniza, se adaugă şi esenţă de rom, apoi se lasă să se răcească.
După ce fursecurile şi crema se răcesc, se pune câte puţin cremă în mijlocul unui fursec şi astfel se lipesc fursecurile câte două.
Ciocolata pentru glazură se topeşte la bain-marie şi cu ea se ornează paleurile, după cum vă place.

Italian Cream Puffs with Custard Filling - from Joanne

Italian Cream Puffs with Custard Filling (St. Joseph’s Day Pastries)

 

These Italian cream puffs with a rich custard filling are a classic Italian dessert. They are traditionally eaten on St. Joseph's Day, but I say indulge in them year-round!

Yield: 12 large or 24 small pastries

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 2¾ cups unbleached AP flour
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 cups water
• 9½ tbsp butter
• 6 large eggs

For the custard

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 cups whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp rum

Instructions

For the pastry

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together and set aside.
2. In a heavy saucepan, heat the water. Add the butter. When melted, remove the pan from the stove and add the flour mixture all at once. Beat with a wooden spoon, then return the pan to medium-high heat, beating the mixture until it comes away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon or hand mixer in-between additions to mix well.
3. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch tip with the cream puff batter. Squeeze out 3-inch puffs, about ½ inch apart on a cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. When done, carefully slit the side of each cream puff with a knife to allow steam to escape and to prevent the puffs from becoming soggy inside. Transfer to cooling racks and let cool.

For the custard

1. In saucepan over moderate heat, combine sugar, flour and salt. Add milk gradually, cooking and stirring until mixture is thick and bubbly.
2. Lower heat, stirring for 2 minutes and remove from heat. In a small bowl, add cream mixture to eggs slowly. Return mixture back to pan. Bring to gently boil for 2 more minutes, adding butter, rum, and vanilla. Tranfer to a shallow bowl to cool, placing plastic wrap on the top of the custard to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate.
3. Once custard has cooled completely, pipe into opened pastry shells until they are so full they might pop, top with a cherry, and dust with powdered sugar.

 

Prăjitura Mozambic / Mozambic Cake

Prăjitura Mozambic
    o  reteta gasita pe www.a1.ro, pe care eu am modificat-o putin

INGREDIENTE:
100 g faina ( 5 linguri )
100 g ciocolata neagra
70 g unt ( o felie de 2 degete grosime )
70 g zahar tos ( 3 linguri )
 3 oua
1 praf de sare
1 lingurita esenta de rom

Crema de deasupra:
250 g branza de vaci ( branza dulce)
1 lingura smantana sau 2 de lapte
1 lingurita esenta vanilie
1 galbenus de ou
40 g de zahar tos ( 2 linguri )

MOD DE PREPARARE:
Intr-un vas adanc, ciocolata si untul se topesc pe aragaz. Cand s-au topit complet se dau deoparte.
Intr-un castron se amesteca 70 de grame de zahar si cele trei oua, se bat bine si apoi se adauga faina, praful de sare si o lingurita esenta de rom. Cand amestecul s-a omogenizat se incorporeaza si ciocolata topita. Compozitia obtinuta se toarna intr-o tava tapetata cu putina faina sau hartie de copt. ( 20 cm)
Intr-un bol separat, se amesteca cele 40 g zahar, branza, galbenusul si esenta de vanilie. Cu ajutorul unei lingurite, se pune neuniform amestecul de branza si se amesteca din loc in loc, pentru a obtine un efect dragut.
Tava se baga la cuptor pentru 25-30 de minute la 180 grade ( 4 pe gaz ).
Se lasa sa se raceasca in forma cel putin 15 minute inainte de servire.
Sa aveti pofta !