These mini sweet treats are popular with everyone. They can be enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee in the afternoon and make a great after dinner accompaniment to a bowl of ice cream or sorbet.
They are fantastic for lunch boxes and make a great snack for all. The great advantage of them being homemade, other than their addictive qualities, is that they can be prepared in a flash and they freeze well too. So go ahead indulge yourself and your loved ones this weekend with one of the sumptuous treats below!
JAMMY MINI CAKE DOUGHNUTS
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup thin yogurt or buttermilk
31/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
Coconut oil or vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup jam for filling
1 cup icing sugar for dusting doughnuts.
METHOD
In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream butter with sugar until light, add eggs and beat well, add the buttermilk and vanilla and beat well.
Now combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir well.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan to 365F to 375F
Drop doughnuts by teaspoonfuls into hot oil, but do not crowd pan.
Fry for about 2 minutes per side and turn over.
Remove and drain on paper towels.
Have ready a piping bag ready with a #12 decorating tip, fill with your jam.
Insert tip into each doughnut and fill with a little jam.
Dust with icing sugar.
Makes about 24
THUMBPRINT COOKIES
1 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
21/2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
2 egg whites
1 cup finely chopped nuts, (peanuts, hazelnuts or almonds)
1 cup jam or jelly any type
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Butter and flour baking trays.
Cream butter until light. Beat in brown sugar and granulated sugar.
Add egg yolks and vanilla, beat until blended.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt and add to batter.
Stir until a dough like consistency is formed.
Shape cookies into one-inch balls and place on trays.
Lightly beat egg whites in a shallow bowl.
Place finely chopped nuts in another shallow dish.
Roll each ball of cookie dough in egg white and then roll lightly in nuts.
Place on prepared trays about one inch apart.
Press centre of each cookie in slightly using your thumb or index finger.
Bake for nine to 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.
Gently press the indentation again and cool cookies on racks.
When cookies are cooled, spoon a little jam or jelly into the centres.
Makes about 25 cookies
RED VELVET WHOOPIE PIES
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tbsp red food coloring
2/3 cup plain yogurt
4 tbs cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Filling
Cream 2/3 cups butter with 1lb cream cheese until smooth.
Add about 21/2 cups sifted icing sugar with 2 tbsp sour cream, add 1 tsp orange zest.
METHOD
Preheat oven to 375F.
Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
Add vegetable oil and beat for a few seconds, add the egg and beat until incorporated.
Stir together the food colouring and yogurt and add to the creamed butter.
Combine cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add gradually to creamed butter mixture in three additions, beginning and ending with dry mix. Do not over mix.
With a small ice-cream scoop, drop cookie dough onto the prepared sheets, about two inches apart.
Bake for eight to nine minutes or until the cookies slightly spring back when touched.
Cool on baking sheets for few minutes before moving to cooling racks. Let cool completely before frosting.
Prepare cream cheese frosting.
Pipe a blob of frosting onto the flat portion of one cookie, place another cookie on top flat face down and gently press until frosting comes to edge of cookie.
Makes 12-31/2 inch whoopee pies