Delicious Fossil Cookies

Better Housekeeper — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 13:44:37 +0000

These scrumptious cookies look just like prehistoric fossils! Make them with your kids, we’re sure they’ll love them!

These fossil cookies are made using a simple sugar cookie recipe, and by pressing a seashell into them to leave an indentation. Serve them for a tea or coffee break, and don’t forget to experiment with other shapes for even more interesting designs!

Delicious Fossil Cookies

Easy sugar cookies that look like fossils!

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups softened butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg

Instructions

Cream together butter and powdered sugar using a mixer, or your hands.
Stir in the egg and vanilla extract. You can use clear vanilla extract to keep your cookies looking white.
Stir in the flour and salt until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface and roll until the dough is about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out the cookies using a pizza cutter. Press the shell into the dough, leaving an indention.
Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes. After the first 10 minutes, remove the cookies and re-press the shell into the still soft dough. Return to oven to finish baking.
Cool cookies on wire racks before serving.

Photos and recipe: A Beautiful Mess.

Refreshing Summer Lemon Velvet Cake Squares

Better Housekeeper — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 15:31:58 +0000

These lemon squares are so moist and fluffy, they make the perfect dessert for afternoon coffee breaks! Keep reading for the delicious recipe!

We love citrus cakes, and this one is no exception! The aroma as it’s baking will surely make you want to eat it before it’s done! Using only basic ingredients, this cake is easy to whip up in no time!

Lemon Velvet Squares

This lemon cake is perfect for afternoon coffee breaks! Fluffy and moist, this cake is difficult to resist!

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp freshly grated navel orange rind
1 1/3 cups superfine sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 cup water
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tbsp powdered sugar, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 F and position oven rack on lower third of the oven. Butter a 13×9 inch baking pan.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cut the butter into 1 inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Add in the lemon and orange rinds and mix on low speed until softened. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until smooth and light in color. This should only take 1-2 minutes.
Add in sugar 1 tbsp at a time, taking 6-8 minutes to blend it well.
Add in eggs 1 at a time.
Decrease the speed to low. In a small bowl, combine water, lemon juice, and orange juice.
Add in dry ingredients alternating with liquids, dividing the flour mixture into 3 parts and the liquid into 2 parts. Start and end with the flour.
Mix until just incorporated after each addition.
Spoon batter into the prepared pan, smoothing with the back of a spoon.
Center the pan on the oven rack and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and springy to the touch.
Remove the pan from the oven and set on a cake rack to cool.
Before serving, place powdered sugar in a fine mesh strainer and dust on top of the cake. Cut into squares and serve.

Photos: All That’s Left are the Crumbs.

delicious – Better HouseKeeper

Delicious Fossil Cookies