Pomegranate molasses, also called pomegranate syrup, has a nicely balanced sweet and sour flavor.  A popular ingredient in the middle east, that can be found in most Eastern markets and various Asian markets.  Mom found it at Draeger’s, a gourmet food and wine grocery store.  The brand we purchased was called “Sadaf”, click here to learn more about this tasty syrup.  Veni’s source for this recipe was the New York Times….Please enjoy! 

For more recipes that include pomegranate molasses, click here.

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 ½ cups flour, plus more for dusting pan
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup milk
• 3 tbsp. pomegranate molasses, plus 1 tsp
• ¾ cup granulated sugar, plus 4 tsp
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 6 tbsp. light cream
• ¾ cup roughly chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9-inch square baking pan, dust lightly with flour and knock out excess flour.

In one bowl stir together 1 ½ cups sifted flour, baking powder and salt.  In a separate bowl, combine milk and 2 tbsp. pomegranate molasses.  In a large bowl, cream together stick of butter and ¾ cup of granulated sugar with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each until well combined.

Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk mixture.  Begin and end with flour, and mix after each addition until just combined.

Pour batter into pan and bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 35-45 minutes.  Cool for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, turn cake out onto a rack, and then turn right side up again. Whisk together confectioners sugar, cream, and 1 tbsp. pomegranate molasses.  Brush glaze over cake, letting it drip down the sides.

In a small, preferably non-stick skillet over medium heat, combine nuts, 1 tsp. pomegranate molasses and 4 tsp. sugar.  Stir constantly and watch carefully until sugar melts and coats nuts, about 3 minutes.  Sprinkle nuts evenly over cake.

Time: about 1 hour

Serves: 8

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Norwegian Butter Cookies
2. Snowball Cookies
3. Angel Thumbprint Cookie

For more appetizer recipes with nuts, click here.

• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• Pinch of clove
• 1 large egg white
• ½ lb. walnut halves (1/2 cup)
• ½ lb. pecan halves (1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly oil a four sided pan, I like to use a 9×11 aluminum disposable pan.  Pour spices, along with ¾ tsp. salt into a small bowl.  Mix completely with a spoon.  Whisk egg whites in a separate bowl until frothy, stir in nuts, coating completely.  Add the spices, stirring again to coat completely.  Spread mixture evenly into your pan.  Bake stirring once or twice until dry and well toasted, about 30 minutes (depending on your oven it may take longer).  Loosen nuts from pan then cool completely.  These nuts will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Makes: 4 cups

Total time: 60 minutes

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Spiced Pepper Walnuts
2. Holly’s Sweet Potatoes with Pecans
3. Savory Slow-Cooked Mushrooms

For more lemon dessert recipes, from PastryWiz.com, click here.

For the crust:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ tsp. cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Beat egg whites until foamy, then beat in the cream of tartar and gradually stir in the sugar.  When stiff enough to hold shape, spread in a lightly buttered 9 inch pie plate.  Bake about 40 minutes, and cool while you make your filling.

For the filling:

• 4 egg yolks
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. lemon rind finely grated
• 2 cups of cream whipped

Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored.  Beat in sugar, lemon juice and rind.  Cook in a double broiler until thick.   Remove from heat and cool completely.  Fold in 1 cup of your whipped cream.  Pour into your cooled meringue shell, and spread evenly the remaining 1 cup of whipped cream.  Chill for 24 hours in the refrigerator before serving.  Serve with more whipped cream, if desired.

Serves: 4

Total time: 30 minutes

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Strawberry Mousse with Fresh Whipped Cream
2. Angel Thumbprint Cookie
3. Lemon-Arugula Potato Salad

For more shortbread bar recipes, click here.

 Crust:

• 1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted and salted
• ¼ cup of sugar
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, plus 1 tbsp. cut into ½ ” pieces

Filling:

• 2 cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar
• 5 large eggs
• ¾ cup fresh lime juice, from about 8 limes
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. finely grated lime peel
• ¾ cup sweetened flaked coconut

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, make sure rack is in center of oven.  Blend nuts and sugar in processor until nuts are finely ground.  Add flour and salt; blend 5 seconds.  Add butter and process until well blended.  Press dough onto bottom of 13x9x2 pan (I like to use the throw-away aluminum).  Bake crust until golden, about 30 minutes.  Set aside to cool completely.  Leave oven temp at 350 degrees.

Filling:

Whisk sugar and eggs in large bowl until well blended.  Whisk in lime juice, then flour and lime peel.  Pour filling over crust in pan.  Bake lime bars 25 minutes.  Depending on your oven, filling may not be fully set, that’s ok.  Remove from oven and sprinkle the coconut over your lime bars, evenly.  Bake an additional 10 minutes, until filling is set and coconut is slightly browned.  Cool bars, and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, before serving.  Best if made a day ahead, and chilled over night.  Cut around pan sides to loosen bars; cut into 24 pieces

Makes 24 bars

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Angel Thumbprint Cookie
2. Peach And Marscapone Tart
3. Lemon Angel Pie

• 2 medium baskets, fresh strawberries
• 1-8 oz. package cream cheese
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½  cup whipping cream
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
• Sliced almonds

Pour ¼ cup whipped cream into a metal bowl, and place in refrigerator to chill while you are preparing your strawberry mousse.

Wash one basket strawberries, trim off ends, and cut in half.  Cut cream cheese into small cubes.  In a food processor, combine strawberries, cream cheese, and powdered sugar.  Blend until smooth, and there are no strawberry chunks.  Pour into a bowl and set aside.  Remove your whipped cream from the refrigerator and beat with an electric beater until stiff and firm.  Add sugar and vanilla, continue beating for one minute.  Taste and adjust accordingly.  Spoon mousse into tall dessert cups, and chill at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Prior to serving, prepare the remaining ¼ cup whipped cream (chilling the same as above).  Set aside. Wash second basket of strawberries, trim off ends, and slice about ¼ inch thickness.  Layer your strawberry mousse cups with sliced strawberries, whipped cream, and almonds.  Repeat your layers, until finished.  Serve immediately or place back into refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serves: 4

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Lemon Angel Pie
2. Snowball Cookies
3. Sausage and Peppers with a Tomato Cream Sauce over Pappardelle

Now make sure when you chop your nuts, that they are not too chunky, but finely chopped, so that they adhere nicely to your dough.  Of course you can use any type of nut you want, check out this link to  www.cookies-in-motion.com to learn more about the different types of nuts used in baking, it’s a fun site!  This recipe was compliments of my mother in-law Regi who has been making these thumbprint cookies for the last 50 years.  Please enjoy!

For more cookie recipes with nuts click here. 

• ½ cup soft butter
• ½ cup shortening
• ½ cup brown sugar packed
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 egg whites unbeaten
• 2 cups sifted flour
• ½ tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Dash of salt
• Jam or jelly of your choice
• Finely chopped nuts of your choice

Beat butter, shortening, sugar, egg yolks, salt, and extracts until fluffy.  Add flour and mix.  Roll a tsp. full of cookie into a ball.  Roll in unbeaten egg white and then into chopped nuts.  Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Using  thumb or small wine cork make a depression in center of each ball.  Fill with jam or jelly.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 325 degrees.

Makes 1 ½ to 3 dozen

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Snowball Cookies
2. Norwegian Butter Cookies
3. Peach And Marscapone Tart

Now in this recipe for these fabulous norwegian butter cookie’s, each cookie is topped with a halved candied, red or green cherry, however you can top it with whatever you desire.  For other variations click here.  This recipe was given to me from my mother in-law, Regi, and It was given to her from her mother in-law Bertha, who was born in Finland.  Please enjoy!

For more cookie press holiday cookies, check out ChristmasCookies.com.

•  ¾ cup shortening (half butter for flavor)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1cup sifted flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¾ cup cornstarch

Cream shortening and sugar; add egg and almond extract, mix well.  Add flour, baking powder, salt and cornstarch, mix well.  Press through cookie press.  Top with candied cherries or any other desired topping.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Cookies will be white

Makes 1 ½ to 3 dozen

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Snowball Cookies
2. Angel Thumbprint Cookie
3. Peach And Marscapone Tart

Did you know that cookies were actually created by accident.  Cookies mean “little cakes in dutch”, they were used as a test, before baking a large cake.  These little test cakes were called “Koekje” (dutch grammar), pronounced “cookies“.  To learn more about the history of the cookie click here.  In this recipe you have the option of using vanilla or brandy extract, it just depends on your likeness.  Although brandy extract is made with alcohol, it is such as a small amount that the finished product is virtually non-alcoholic.  If you do not have the 2 tsp. of brandy extract you can substitute (1 tbsp. brandy extract for 5 tbsp. brandy).  Check out the Cook’s Thesauras, to learn more about extracts and flavoring oil’s.  My source for these fabulous melt in your mouth snowball cookie’s, Regi, my wondeful mother in-law of Shady Cove, Oregon.  Please enjoy!

For different types of snowball cookies check out cooks.com.

• 1 lb. butter
• 4 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 2 tsp. vanilla or brandy extract
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 2 cups chopped walmuts

Cream butter and sugar until well blended.  Add flour 1 cup at at time and mix well.  Add walnuts and extract.  Shape into round balls with your hands (about 1 1/2 inches around).  Bake 15 to 18 minutes at 350 degrees.

Remove from oven and roll in sifted powdered sugar while still hot.   Cool and roll again in powdered sugar when cold.

Cookies will note brown when baked.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Norwegian Butter Cookies
2. Angel Thumbprint Cookie
3. Peach And Marscapone Tart

I found the recipe from wednesday’s food section of the San Francisco Chronicle (July 18th 2007).  The article was titled “Slices of Summer”.  The crust is made from oatmeal cookies, yum yum!!  You want to make sure that the cookies are very crisp, so that they turn into nice small crumbs in the food processor.  I used about 3/4 of a 12.5 oz. package of Mother’s Cookies.  If you want the top to have a shinier look, warm 2 tablespoons of honey, and drizzle over the peaches before sprinkling the almonds.  Please enjoy!

Click here for an Apple pie oatmeal cookie crust recipe.

• 2 cups oatmeal cookie crumbs
• 5 tablespoons melted butter
• 6 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 2 ounces cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 3 to 4 ripe peaches, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/4 cup lightly toasted sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously grease a 9-inch tart pan.

Combine the cookie crumbs and butter, and stir with a fork until clumps form. Press into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan, making sure the sides are thick enough to make a sturdy crust.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until dried out and slightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.  

Meanwhile, make the filling. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, combine the mascarpone and cream cheese and mix until smooth. Add egg, and then add sugar and both extracts, whisking until filling is completely combined (it’s OK if a few small lumps remain).

Spread into the bottom of the tart pan, and smooth top. Layer peach slices so that they overlap in concentric circles on top of tart. Sprinkle with almond slices, and bake for 35-45 minutes, until filling is set and starting to brown.  Remove from oven, and let cool before unmolding from tart pan.

Serves 8-10

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Norwegian Butter Cookies
2. Angel Thumbprint Cookie
3. Snowball Cookies