The Charmed Kitchen

Chocolate Easter Egg Biscotti

After a friend mentioned that she would love my Easter Egg Biscotti even better if they were chocolate, I decided to try to make her some. These are really just a big cookie, baked around and egg. Once cooled, I drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze. They are such a fun treat for Easter. This is the end result of my experiment. I used the original recipe, and added cocoa powder. Worked out really nice, so I thought I’d share them with you. The original recipe came from the mother of a childhood friend. Rose made them with shortening. Over time I started making mine with butter, instead.  The only change is, I chill the dough 30 minutes, or so, before using.

Chocolate Easter Egg Biscotti

1 c. shortening – you can use butter- I do*
1 ½ c. sugar
4 eggs
5 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 t. vanilla
1 c. milk
6 c. flour
¾ c. cocoa powder
Hard cooked eggs, plain or dyed
Powdered sugar glaze- recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add next 4 ingredients and blend until smooth. Mix flour with cocoa. Stir in flour mixture 2 cups at a time. Dough should be pliable. If dough is too sticky add a little more flour. Take a piece of dough about the size of a large egg and roll until smooth. Place on a greased baking sheet. Indent middle slightly and then place an egg in the center, pressing down slightly. It should look like a nest. Continue with remaining dough allowing about 2-3 inches in between as they grow. You can fit 6-8 on a large baking sheet. Bake 20 –25 minutes or until browned on the bottom. Cool on wire rack before drizzling with frosting. Makes 24-30. Store in the fridge.

* If using butter- chill dough before rolling.

Sugar glaze
2 c. powdered sugar
2-3 T. milk or orange juice
1 t. vanilla
Food coloring, if desired
Mix together until smooth and of drizzling consistency.

Hot Cross Buns

These rich rolls are a traditional dish at Easter in my house. They can be served at breakfast, brunch or even as a dinner roll. Because the dough is rich, they are slow to rise, so if they aren’t jumping out of the pan after an hour or so, don’t worry. They do rise quite a bit in the oven. After they cool a bit- pipe on the icing in the crisscross pattern that gives these rolls their name.

Hot Cross Buns

 2/3 c. sugar

1 t. salt

2 packages active dry yeast

About 5 cups bread flour

1 ½ c. milk

½ c. butter

2 eggs

1 c. raisins

Icing

¾ c. powdered sugar

1 T. milk

In bowl combine sugar, salt, yeast and about 1 ½ c. flour. Heat together milk and butter until very warm. Beat milk mixture into to flour mixture and beat 2 minutes with electric mixer. Beat in 1 egg and 1 cup flour and beat 2 more minutes until batter thickens. Stir in raisins and enough additional flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top, cover with a towel and allow to rise in a draft free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Place dough on floured surface and divide into 15 equal pieces. Cover with towel and lest rest 15 minutes. Meanwhile grease a 9×13 inch pan. Form dough into smooth balls and place in prepared pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat remaining egg. Cut a cross in each bun and brush with the egg. Bake for 25 minutes or until buns are golden. Remove buns to wire rack to cool 15 minutes. Make frosting, place in decorating bag and pipe onto buns. Makes 15.

Kahlua Chocolate Squares

Not every thing chocolate at Easter has to be for the kids. These yummy treats are brownie-like in texture, studded with nuts and chocolate chips and full of Kahlua flavor. There is Kahlua in the batter, Kahlua brushed over the squares after baking, and in the brown butter frosting. So easy and so tasty. So why the kids are biting the ears off chocolate bunnies, you can enjoy some of these.

Kahlua Chocolate Squares

1 ¼ c. all purpose flour
¾ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
½ c. butter, softened
¾ c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
¼ c. coffee liqueur
1-c. chocolate chips
1/3 c. walnuts
1 T. coffee liqueur (for tops of bars)

Brown butter icing

2 T. butter
1 T. coffee liqueur
2 t. milk
1 1/3 c. powdered sugar

Walnut halves or chopped walnuts

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. In large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg then stir in liqueur, then flour mixture. Fold in chips and nuts. Turn into greased 7×11 inch pan and even out. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes. Top should spring back when touched lightly. Cool in pan 15 minutes then brush with remaining liqueur. When cool spread with brown butter icing and top with nuts. Makes 24 bars.

To make icing:
Brown butter in small saucepan. Do not burn. Remove from heat and beat in remaining icing ingredients. Spread on bars. Allow frosting to set up before cutting.

I will be on New Day Cleveland on Tuesday March 22. I will be doing some Easter baking. The program is on at 10 am on Fox 8. I am scheduled to be first. It is always a fun time. Still working on what I will be making….

For some reason, I had real trouble naming this recipe. It’s a sweet bread, with a cream cheese and chocolate chip filling. The filling reminded me of cheese cake, cheese Danish and cannoli all rolled into one. Whatever you call it- it is really good. This would be a great brunch or breakfast dish for Easter morning. You could also serve it for dessert. It can be baked a head of time, and it even freezes well. It is sweet, but not too sweet. When I mixed up the filling ingredients, it was kind of runny. I decided to precook the filling, which worked out great. I could see adding a drizzle of melted chocolate, too. Well, maybe the next time.

Cream Cheese Sweet Bread

3 ¼ c. flour

¾ c. sugar

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. salt

1 package quick-rising yeast

1 c. hot water

1 T. oil

Filling

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

½ c. sugar

2 eggs

2 t. vanilla

1 c. mini chocolate chips, optional

Topping

2 c. powdered sugar

Milk, water or lemon juice

Toasted sliced almonds*

Set aside 1 cup of the flour. Combine remaining flour with the other dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in water and oil and gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover and allow dough to double, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cream cheese with sugar and beat until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Mixture will be soupy. Place cream cheese mixture in a microwave safe bowl and cook, in microwave, on high, for 3-4 minutes, or until cheese mixture firms up. Let it cool down 10 minutes and then stir it. Stir in chips, if using.  Roll dough into a rectangle about 16 x 8. Spread cheese filling down center middle of dough.  Cut one-inch wide strips of dough from filling to edge on both sides. It will sort of look like fringe.  Alternating sides, fold strips up and over the filling at an angle.  Carefully lift loaf onto greased baking sheet and place at an angle. Cover with a towel and set in a warm place to double in bulk, about 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated 375-degree for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and place bread on a rack to cool. Make the topping by combining powdered sugar with just enough liquid so you can drizzle it over the bread. Once the bread is cooled down, drizzle with the glaze. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds. Refrigerate leftovers.

If you use regular yeast, use warm, rather than hot water. Also, it will take a little longer for dough to rise.

*To toast the almonds, just place them in a skillet, over medium heat, and cook until lightly browned.  Stir or toss often and watch closely so they don’t burn.

spread filling and cut dough into 1-inch strips

fold dough over filling

Cinnamon Bunny Breads

These slightly sweet bunny breads are a great addition to your holiday table. They can be used for breakfast or brunch. They could also be served with dinner , minus the candies!! The dough itself has plenty of cinnamon flavor and a slightly dense texture. They are moist enough to eat just the way they are, or spread with butter. My favorite parts are the feet- which are a little crunchy. The recipe makes 6 bunnies. I chose to decorate mine with melted white chocolate and candies, but they are also pretty when left undecorated. This would be a fun decorating activity for kids, too.

Cinnamon Bunny Breads

6-6½ c. flour

¾ c. sugar

2 pkts. Active dry yeast

1 T. cinnamon

1 t. salt

1 c. milk

½ c. water

¼ c. butter – half a stick

5 eggs – save one for brushing the breads

White chocolate and tiny candies for decorating

In mixing bowl place 2 cups of the flour with the other dry ingredients. Heat milk, water and butter together until very warm. Butter does have to melt completely. Place milk mixture in bowl with flour mixture and beat for 3 minutes. Add another cup of flour and beat another 2 minutes. Beat in 4 eggs and gradually add enough flour to make a soft dough. Place dough on a floured surface. Knead until smooth. Return dough to bowl and cover, allowing to rise until doubled, about an hour. Grease two large baking sheets, or cover in parchment or use a silicone liner. You will put 3 bunnies on each sheet.  Place dough on floured surface. Divide into 6 pieces. Each piece will be a bunny. To form a bunny, take about a third of one of the pieces of dough. Shape into a round and place on a greased baking sheet. This is the body. Use about ¼ cup of the dough to form the head. Flatten the head a little on one edge and tuck the flattened part under the body. Pinch off a tiny piece for the nose and place on the head. Divide the rest of the piece of dough into 6 pieces. Use 4 pieces to form the feet. Shape into balls and tuck one edge under the body, like you did with the head. Use the last two pieces for the ears. Roll each into a tube, shape a little to look like ears, and stick one edge under the head. Repeat with the rest of the dough pieces. You’ll end up with 6 bunnies. Cover with plastic wrap, then a towel, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, 30-60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine remaining egg with a tablespoon of water and beat to combine. Remove the plastic wrap from the bunnies. Brush the bunnies with the egg mixture, covering completely. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped lightly. I switched the baking sheets in the oven after 10 minutes, so the bunnies bake evenly. Cool on rack. Once cool, decorate with melted chocolate, piped on to make whiskers. You can also use the melted chocolate to affix candies. Makes 6 bunnies.

ready to bake

Freshly baked

Easter Egg Biscotti

I get so many requests for this recipe I decided to post it again. This is a treat from my childhood. Rose Dieglio was the mother of my best friend, Debbi. Rose made these every year, and I loved them. Years later, she was kind enough to share her recipe with me.  I always make a bunch to hand out to friends and family. It is a tradition I enjoy very much. The dough is a type of cookie. You roll the dough out in pieces about the size of eggs. Make an intent in the dough and press in a tinted egg. The egg does not have to be cooked- it will cook when the biscotti bakes. Once baked, the biscotti can be topped with a powdered sugar glaze and sprinkles, if you like.

Easter Egg Biscotti

1 c. shortening or butter- I use butter*

1 ½ c. sugar

4 eggs

5 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

2 t. vanilla

1 c. milk

6 c. flour

24-30 eggs, plain or dyed

Powdered sugar glaze

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter or shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add next 4 ingredients and blend until smooth. Stir in flour 2 cups at a time. Dough should be pliable. If dough is too sticky add a little more flour. Take a piece of dough about the size of a large egg and place on a greased baking sheet. Indent middle slightly and then place an egg in the center, pressing down slightly. It should look like a nest. Continue with remaining dough allowing about 2-3 inches in between as they spread when baking. You can fit 6-8 on a large baking sheet. Bake 20 –25 minutes or until browned on the bottom. Cool on wire rack before drizzling with frosting. Makes 24-30. Store in fridge.

* If using butter- chill dough a couple of hours before baking.

Sugar glaze

2 c. powdered sugar

2-3 T. milk or orange juice

1 t. vanilla

Food coloring, if desired

Mix together until smooth and of drizzling consistency.

Easter Pierogi

I already enjoy making pasta with veggie- based dough. The colors are so pretty, and I love the way they taste. So, since it is almost Easter, I went a step further and used my veggie-based dough to make pierogi. They remind me a little of Easter eggs. They came out so nice I will be making them again soon. I used a potato and cheese filling, so that part is pretty traditional. The pierogi are also a nice choice for a meat-free Friday diner. I served them with sauteed onions.  Here is the recipe for all.

Easter Pierogi

 All of the doughs were mixed using a food processor. If you want to mix them by hand- puree the veggies first.  Once the doughs are made allow them to rest at least 30 minutes. Since veggie pasta dough tends to be a little softer than traditional pasta- I actually prefer to make them a day ahead and chill. Chilling the dough, even for an hour, will help.

When ready to roll out your dough, grab a hunk of each dough and press them together. If the the dough is a little sticky that will help. Then on a floured surface roll out to the desired thickness. I use a template to make my pierogi- but you can cut them out with any round cutter or even a glass or jar. Spoon filling of your choice on center of dough circle. Fold dough in half over filling and press edge with fork to seal. Wetting the edge of the dough will help the dough to stick. Don’t overfill or pierogi will split. Test a couple first to get the hang of it. Place a few at a time into salted boiling water and cook until they float. You can eat them as is, or brown cooked pierogi in butter in a skillet. Serve with grilled onions and/or sour cream. We would often make a larger batch and then freeze them, uncooked on wax paper-lined baking sheets. When frozen they would be transferred to a freezer bag or container. Place right from the freezer into boiling water when ready to use.

Carrot Pasta

1 c. flour

1/2 t. dried dill

1/3 c. carrot puree

1-2 T. water, if needed

   Beet Pasta

1 c. flour

1/2 t. dill

1/3 c. beet puree

1-2 T. water, if needed

Spinach Pasta

2 c. flour

1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, cooked, drained, reserving some of the liquid

Mix this dough as for other pastas, but don’t be too quick to add reserved liquid. While kneading you’ll get water out of the spinach. May require more kneading and rolling than other pasta doughs. Be patient, it’s worth the work.

 Pierogi Filling

1 lb. Potatoes, peeled and boiled
4 oz. cream cheese – normally I would use farmer’s cheese or cottage cheese, but cream cheese was what I had
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, optional
salt and pepper to taste
Mash potatoes with other ingredients and season to taste.

I usually add some chopped sweet onion to my filling, but one of my guests isn’t crazy about onions, so I am leaving them out.

Reuben Calzone

While more often made with Italian inspired ingredients, you can calzones with other fillings, too. I made these for a friend a while back and we were talking about them the other day. I decided to make them again. These are a fun way to make a Reuben, but with a twist. You can leave the sauerkraut out, if you like.  I add some thousand island dressing to the calzones, but serve extra on the side. They also freeze well, so you can make a batch, enjoy some fresh, and freeze some for later. I thought I would share the recipe with you.

Corned Beef Calzones

3 ¼ c. flour

1 c. rye flour

1 T. sugar

1 t. salt

1 package quick-rising yeast

1⅓ c. hot water

1 T. oil

1 c. Thousand Island dressing, recipe follows

1 lb. thin sliced corned beef

8 oz. shredded Swiss cheese

1 c. sauerkraut, squeezed dry

1 egg , beaten

Caraway seeds, optional

Set aside 1 cup of the all-purpose flour. Combine remaining flour with the other dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in water and oil and gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover dough and let rest 20 minutes. Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll one piece into a 6-8 -inch circle. In the middle of the dough, add a spoonful of Thousand Island dressing,  place 1 ounce of the Swiss cheese and 2 ounces of the corned beef. Add a tablespoon or two of the sauerkraut, if using. Brush the edge of the dough with water. Fold over the dough in half and press the edges to seal. Brush the edge again with water and roll the edge over again. It will give you a prettier look and seal the calzone better. Repeat with remaining dough and fillings. Place calzones on greased baking sheets- or on a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper liner. You will end up with 8 calzones in all. Only put 4 on one baking sheet. Cover and let rest 15 minutes while preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Before placing calzones in the oven brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with the caraway seeds, if you like. Also poke a few holes in the tops with a fork to help steam to escape while baking. I put both baking sheets in the oven at the same time and switch them halfway through baking. Bake in a preheated 400-degree for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. If baking both at once switch them after 10 minutes or so. Cool slightly before eating. Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers.

If you want to use regular yeast use warm, rather than hot water. Also, allow a little more time for the dough to rise the first time, about 40 minutes. Everything else will work the same.

If you want to make your own dressing, here is the recipe

Thousand Island Dressing

1/2 c. ketchup

1/2 c. mayo

1/2 c. sweet pickle relish

Mix ingredients together and serve, or chill until needed.