RECIPE: Carrot Cake Cookies

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1hr 15 minutes
Makes: 18 cookies

Before being filled, the cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. The filling can be made ahead and chilled for up to five days.

Ingredients

For the filling:
2oz bar cream cheese, room temperature
2oz unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

For the cookies:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg yolk

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup packed, finely grated, peeled carrots

1/3 cup dried currants

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Make filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add sugar and lemon juice; beat until combined. Cover; chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make cookies: In a large bowl, whisk together butter, sugars, and egg yolk. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; stir until combined. Mix in oats, carrots, and currants.

Drop dough by level tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Flatten with the palm of your hand. Bake until edges are crisp, rotating baking sheets halfway through, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Turn half the cookies over, bottom side up; dollop each with about 1 teaspoon chilled cream-cheese filling. Top with remaining cookies, pressing gently to spread filling to edges. Serve immediately.

Recipe from MarthaStewart.com

RECIPE: Burgundy Mushrooms

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 9 hours
Servings: 8

Ingredients
4lbs mushrooms
2 sticks butter
1½ tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1L Burgundy Wine (other reds will work)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups boiling water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
4 beef bouillon cubes
1 tsp dill seed
5 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp salt

Method

Thoroughly wash the mushrooms and throw them into a large stockpot. Add all the remaining ingredients except the salt. Stir to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for six hours.
Remove the lid, then continue cooking, uncovered, for three hours. Add salt to taste at the end if desired. The mushrooms will be very dark in color. Simmer until needed.

Serve straight from the pot or in a serving bowl. Dip crusty bread in the juice — yum! Mushrooms keep for days in the fridge.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

FASHION FIND!

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Lilac corsage pumps, €9

Khaki jewelled shoulder top, €22

Black belt swing coat, €45

Blush tuile tiered skirt, €15

Black skinny bling jeans, €22

Baking heaven!

As the hit BBC 2 series The Great British Bake Off drew to a close with its tense final episode this week, fans of the series will no doubt be wondering where to turn to now for baking inspiration. If you haven't yet seen it, there is a beautifully illustrated book accompanying the series featuring 120 delicious recipe treats - yum!

The Great British Book of Baking would be a fab Christmas present for foodies who love to bake, and for those techies amongst us, it is now also available as an illustrated eBook with click-through features.


Let's get baking!