Maple Walnut Spritz Cookies Food

MAPLE-WALNUT SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, maple syrup and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, ground walnuts, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture (dough will be soft)., Using a cookie press fitted with a flower or star disk, press dough 1 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Top with walnuts., Bake 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

MAPLE-WALNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the maple syrup, egg, vanilla and maple extract. (The mixture may look curdled.) Reduce the mixer speed to medium low; add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Cover and refrigerate until the dough is no longer sticky, about 30 minutes (it will still be soft).
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Put the turbinado sugar in a shallow dish. Roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in the turbinado sugar. Press a walnut half into the center of each cookie and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the edges of the cookies are set but the centers are still soft, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

MAPLE LEAF COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift flour and salt into a medium bowl. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, and add yolk, then 1/2 cup maple syrup, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Shape into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out 1 disk of dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a sheet of lightly floured parchment. Place parchment with dough on baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Coat baking sheets with cooking spray, line with parchment, and coat parchment. Cut out cookies from frozen dough using a 3 1/2-inch maple-leaf-shaped cutter, and space 1 inch apart on sheets. Roll and cut scraps once. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake cookies until edges begin to turn golden, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer parchment with cookies to wire racks, and let cool for 5 minutes. Brush cookies with 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and sprinkle with 1/2 the sanding sugar. Let cool. Repeat with remaining dough, maple syrup, and sugar. (Cookies will keep for up to 2 days.)

MAPLE-WALNUT CAKE WITH BROWN-SUGAR FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat two 9-inch round cake pans (2 inches deep) with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper; lightly coat parchment with cooking spray. Flour parchment and sides (tapping out excess); set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on high until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on medium-high, add maple syrup in a slow, steady stream. Add flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with milk, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl as needed. Fold in walnuts.
• Divide batter between pans; firmly tap pans on a flat surface several times to remove air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks, 15 minutes, then invert onto racks; peel off parchment. Invert cakes again and let cool completely on racks. With a serrated knife, trim domed top from each cake to make a flat surface.
• Make frosting: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar on high until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Assemble cake: Place one layer, top side up, on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread top evenly with 1 1/2 cups frosting. Top with second layer, top side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and around sides of cake.