Cornmeal Thumbprints Cookies: Crunchy delicious, need I say more?

I have to make a confession, I didn't buy this magazine ^^, I just took it from my sister's house when I saw the recipe list. The magazine that I talk about is ....................................

Banana and Nut Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

I just got a new book (ok, again and again, but I just can't stop buying haha) Well, most of you might have it on your shelf too, I think ^ ^.

Actually the recipes in the book is not new, most of them can be found in Martha Stewart's website but when print in a book it's easy to search for the one that you want or take a look for the inspiration.
The book is full of pictures and that is better than print them out by ourselves haha ! As you know the recipes are trustworthy (will if you're not sure about the recipes, you can try them by choose some of them from the website).

This time I choose the banana and nut cupcakes with caramel buttercream, as a sample. The reason is easy, I love banana cake and my sister is crazy for everything caramel, so when two of them are together, it must be yummy!
I make a little change in the recipe (due to the fact that I have whipping cream in my fridge and I think it will make the cupcake softer), I use a mix of milk, cider vinegar and cream instead of the buttermilk.
And for the buttercream, I add a bit of salt to balance the sweetness of the buttercream.
I make a full batch of buttercream, but make only 2/3 batch of the cupcake. Because I need a lot of bettercream for decorate the cupcake this way (well, I use almost all of the buttercream, only 1/2 cup of it left but it's delicious and you can use it on other cake.)
This cake is best eating at room temperature, because refrigerate it harden both the buttercream and the cake.

Banana and Nut Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream
Makes 18 standard muffin pans

Cupcake
200g sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
120g unsalted butter, softened
200g light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 very ripe large bananas, mashed
60ml milk
60ml whipping cream
1teaspoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts

Caramel buttercream
200g + 2 tablespoons sugar
50ml water
50ml whipping cream
340g unsalted butter, softened
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Beat together the banana, vanilla extract, milk, whipping cream and cider vinegar.

Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.

Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with banana mixture and ending with dry.

Scrape sides of bowl, stir pecans into batter Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.

Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks.

1. Bring 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Wash sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook, undisturbed, until caramel is dark amber. Remove from heat, and slowly add cream, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Let cool.
2. Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

1. Place whites and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Remove from heat, and attach bowl to a mixer. Whisk on medium speed for 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add beaten butter, cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla and salt.
3. Switch to paddle attachment. With mixer on low speed, add caramel, and beat until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Use immediately, or cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)

Banana and Nut Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

Dried Apricot Shortbread Heart: A gift for friend

You may find I have too many shortbread recipes, I admit, many recipe and many variations. But I love this kind of cookie, it’s easy, fragrance and yes it’s delicious. I make this recipe for my friend who so kind, she sent me a large pack of vanilla bean, and that’s why I put the vanilla bean into this recipe. The original recipe is called for cranberry but any dried fruit can be use, only cut them into tiny size. I love a little tangy taste, lovely smell of the apricot, and it goes well with the vanilla. Again this recipe comes from:...................and the result is great. This book is a large collection of cookie recipes; they are in Martha Stewart's official website too, but I find reading the book is better for my eye than the screen.

Dried Apricot Shortbread Heart

Makes about 12 pieces

1 cup (2 sticks)	unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup	sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon	pure vanilla extract
2 cups	sifted all-purpose flour
	bean from ½ of Vanilla pod
½ teaspoon	coarse salt
½ cup	finely chopped dried apricot

1. Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in center. Put butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir together with a wooden spoon until combined but not too creamy (I beat with the paddle). Stir in dried apricot.

2. Press dough evenly into an 8-inch square baking pan. Bake until firm and pale golden, about

30 minutes (-you may need to cover the tin with foil after baking for 20 minutes-). Let cool on a wire rack, about 20 minutes.

3. Run a knife around edges; remove shortbread and transfer, right side up, to a work surface. Cut out hearts with a 2-inch heart- shape cookie cutter. Trim any stray bits of apricot from edges with a paring knife. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars From: Martha Stewart's Cookies

Well, this is the great combination, if you love to have bread with peanut butter and jam. I have my own favorite, raspberry jam and chunky peanut butter. So, after I got this book this is the first one that I want to try. The original recipe calls for strawberry jam, but I change to raspberry jam, so it’s up to your passion. As always, I don’t want to make a big tray of cookie (accept the truth, my family has to eat all the bake good which I test them, I like to make a small batch, because I will have a chance to try more recipe). I make only half of the recipe, use 8x8 inches pan, and reduce the baking time to 45 minute.

The taste of the cookie is salty sweet, you should chop the salted peanut, (I forgot to chop them and the peanut is too big when cut the cookie into pieces).

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Makes about 3 dozen

1 cup (2 sticks)	unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
3 cups	all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1½ cups	Sugar
2	large eggs
2½ cups	smooth peanut butter
1½ teaspoons	Salt
1 teaspoon	baking powder
1 teaspoon	pure vanilla extract
1½ cups	strawberry jam, or other flavor (I use raspberry)
1 cup	salted peanuts(5 ounces), roughly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, dust with flour, and tap out excess.

2. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla.

Add eggs and peanut butter; beat until combined, about 2 minutes. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture, and beat on low speed until combined.

3. Transfer two-thirds of mixture to prepared pan; spread evenly with an offset spatula. Using off set spatula, spread jam on top of peanut-butter mixture. Crumble remaining third of peanut butter mixture on top of jam. Sprinkle evenly with peanuts.

4. Bake until golden, 45 to 60 minutes, rotating halfway through. Tent loosely with foil if bars are getting too dark. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Run knife around edges and refrigerate, 1 to 2 hours. Cut into about thirty-six bars (about 1½ by 2 inches). Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.