Red Velvet Cake

INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE

½ cup shortening
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces Red Food Coloring
2 TBL cocoa (heaping)
1 cup buttermilk
2 ¼ cups cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp white vinegar

INGREDIENTS FOR FROSTING

3 TBL flour
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup butter (DO NOT SUBSTITUTE)

DIRECTIONS FOR CAKE

• Cream shortening, sugar and eggs
  
• Make a paste of the food coloring and cocoa
  
• Add to creamed mixture
  
• Add buttermilk – alternating with flour and salt
  
• Add vanilla
  
• Add soda to vinegar
  
• Blend in to mixture
  
• Pour into 3 or 4 greased and floured 8″ pans
  
• Bake at 350 F. for 24-30 minutes
  
• Frost layers and cake with frosting
  

DIRECTIONS FOR FROSTING

• Slowing add milk to flour – make sure no lumps
  
• Cook flour and milk, stirring constantly, until very thick
  
• Cool completely
  
• Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy
  
• Add to the cooked mixture
  
• Beat on high speed until very fluffy
  

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Pecan Linzer Cookies  Cherry Filling

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup cherry jam, strained 

Directions
Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl; set aside. Pulse pecans, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor until finely ground (but not wet); transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.Add butter and granulated sugar; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until combined. Halve dough; shape into disks. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Cut out squares with a 2-inch fluted cutter. Cut out centers of half the squares with a 1/2-inch heart cutter; reroll scraps. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake squares and hearts until pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.Meanwhile, heat jam in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced and thickened, about 7 minutes; let cool.Sprinkle cutout cookies with confectioners’ sugar. Spread jam onto uncut squares; top with cutout ones. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Martha always has just the right recipe for the right occasion. This is definitely a cookie I will make again.

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Decadent Hot Chocolate

Ingredients
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
Bring the milk, cream, cocoa powder, and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Turn off the heat, stir in the chocolate and the vanilla. Cover, let the chips melt for about 1 minute, then whisk smooth before serving.

To Make Ahead:
Hot chocolate can be refrigerated, covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 24 hours before serving. Reheat in the microwave or in a medium saucepan set over low heat.

This  recipe is from Cook’s Illustrated and I love it. It’s rich, creamy and has a silky smooth texture. Scatter the top of the hot chocolate with real cocoa bits to give it an additional punch.

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Cook’s Illustrated

PRINTABLE VERSION OF RECIPE