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LIfe is Sweet

17 Oct '16

Meow!

Posted by Stacy Krems in adopt, adoption, animal, animals, cat, dog, meow, purr

Meow!

In all seriousness, we're a dog family. But...today we went to our local shelter because our daughter loves to play with the cats. We donate to the shelter, we donate old towels and stuffed animals and yes...even had our daughters birthday party there. (all from her passion of animals).

Over the course of years, I've build up some serious armor when it comes to self defense over the sweet purrs or the sad yelps of those helpless sweethearts. I kind of feel like I have an invisible super hero cape....like I'm immune to it all. I can walk the aisles, pet the animals, talk to them, reassure them and walk on without any emotion. (I really am a nice person here folks but I sure do seem heartless, hugh)? 

Well today, my cape....something went wrong. 

Today was especially hard as I wanted to take home all the cats and all the dogs. What's happened to me? Am I softening? Who am I? What's happening? Of course my daughter always finds a special animal on each visit that she's DYING to bring home. I quickly said "let's go" and somehow, by the grace of all things sweet and wonderful...we left. 

Despite arriving home safe and sound, sans any four legged animal, I do feel good that we donate. There have been some non profits around the US that we've donated our rolling pins to for silent auction of even volunteer events. That makes me feel so good that even though we aren't adopting a sweet addition, we're helping raise funds for the ever so important organizations that do. 

 

28 Mar '16

Recipe: Springerle Cookies

Recipe: Springerle Cookies

If you’re really in the mood to make something absolutely spectacular, try making a Springerle Cookie. We tried this recipe below and the cookies are not only edible, but are beautiful. We aren’t professional bakers so if we can make these – you can too! One thing to share is that this recipe (at least for us) was time consuming.

The picture shown here I just adore. The images are precise. This little cookie is gorgeous and being a novice baker, I was shocked. If you're willing to put in the work, you'll be rewarded!

Springerle Cookie Recipe:

  •  ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 6 large eggs, room temperature
  • 6 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting and surface
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon anise extract
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 9 cups sifted cake flour, plus more for dusting and surface

Glaze (Optional)
  • Pure lemon extract
  • Luster or petal dust, for decorating

Dissolve baking powder in milk in small bowl. Whisk eggs with a mixer on high speed until very thick and pale, about 10 minutes. With machine running, slowly add sugar, beating until smooth and creamy. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in milk mixture, salt, anise extract, and lemon zest until just combined.

Reduce speed to medium-low. Add 6 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time mixing well after each addition. Remove bowl from mixer, and stir in remaining 3 cups of flour, 1 cups at a time, until flour is incorporated and dough is stiff.

Transfer dough to a floured surface, and knead until dough is smooth and not sticky, adding more flour if necessary. Divide dough into 4 pieces, and wrap in plastic wrap.

Dust surface with flour. Roll out 1 piece/section of the dough with a non-patterned rolling pin to ¼ inch thickness. Dust your new patterned rolling pin with flour and press firmly into dough until the shape of the patterned rolling pin appears. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 220 degrees. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until completely dry, about 1 hour. They should not color. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies will keep, unglazed and covered, for up to 2 to 3 weeks.

To make the glaze, mix lemon extract and a pinch of luster or petal dust in a small bowl, adding more dust as needed to get desired color. Using a very fine paintbrush, brush the tinted extract onto the flat portion of each cookie around the relief. Using a clean, damp paintbrush, removed smudges. Mix additional extract and luster or petal dust in ½ teaspoon increments. (Recipe compliments of: www.marthastewart.com)

We would love to see pictures of your final project! Feel free to email or post to:

  • Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sweetrollingpins
  • Instagram: #fsweetrollingpins (post a picture or even the recipe you used) 
  • Email: stacy.krems@sweetrollingpins.com