Aloha Cookies

December 4: National Cookie Day

At a neighborhood cookie exchange on the mainland, Islander wanted to share a taste of the tropics and brought Aloha Cookies. The ingredients are truly tropical with pineapple pieces and coconut flakes mixed in the dough.

Along with the extra Aloha Cookies she baked, she collected a variety of other cookies from neighbors at the cookie exchange and then sent them overseas to U.S. Air Force personnel to enjoy for the holidays. The recipient is Airman Darby F. and his flight serving in the Azores. Not only does she wish Mele Kalikimaka to mainland friends, she sends aloha abroad with these tropical treats for the troops.

Kick off National Cookie Day and the holiday baking season with Aloha Cookies.

Recipe

(Adapted from C&H Sugar)

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• ¾ cup  sugar, granulated white
• ¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup instant mashed potato flakes
• 2 ½ cups flour (not self raising)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups dried pineapple, chopped
• 1 1/3 cups coconut, flaked

Directions

In a mixer or large mixing bowl, cream the butter and shortening with both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs.

Add the vanilla and almond extracts. Stir in the mashed potato flakes. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.

Gradually add this to the butter mixture and combine until a dough is formed. Fold in the chopped pineapple pieces and flaked coconut. Roll into a large, smooth ball. Cover the dough and chill for at least an hour.

Scoop out one-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about two inches apart. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven. Cool for about five minutes on the cookie sheet until transferring to a wire rack. Yield: 6 dozen (enough to feed a flight of airmen or share at a cookie exchange)

Notes

• Airman Darby F. is the son of our often-mentioned friend, Lisa L., who herself is in the U.S. Naval Reserves. We used to send her some treats for the troops when she served overseas as well.
• Aloha Cookies are not traditionally Hawaiian but the recipe is from California and Hawaii (C&H) Sugar company.
• Search our blog for more cookie recipes.

Barbarakuchen

(St. Barbara Cake)

December 4: Feast Day of St. Barbara

Highlander was on the swim team for his college in San Diego, California, but would occasionally compete at meets in Santa Barbara, about an hour’s drive from his hometown. The city has a scenic coastline and breathtaking beaches where he would leisurely swim sometimes.

Santa Barbara was named after St. Barbara in 1602 by a grateful Spanish explorer whose ship anchored safely in the region after a surviving a strong storm on the eve of her feast day.

Barbarakuchen is a also named after St. Barbara. There is no other food history or information given about this German lemon cake. But it is appropriate to bake Barbarakuchen for the Feast Day of St. Barbara.

Recipe

(Adapted from Cooking With the Saints by Ernst Scheugraf)

Ingredients

• 1 lemon
• ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1 ¼ cup cornstarch
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons water

Directions

Grate the peel of the lemon and set aside. Squeeze out the juice into a small cup. In a bowl, cream the butter with the sugar. Beat in the eggs. Stir in the grated lemon peel. In another bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and baking powder.

Gradually add this to the butter mixture to make a stiff batter. Spread into a greased, small (approximately 8x4x2 ½ inches) bread loaf pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes, testing for doneness with a toothpick. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Place the cake on a wire rack over a pan to catch the icing drippings. Make the icing by mixing the powdered sugar with the reserved lemon juice. Add the water and mix into a smooth glaze.

Pour over the cake and let it drizzle down the sides. When the icing hardens, the cake is ready to slice and serve.

Notes

• Barbarakuchen is a dry, crumbly cake that is often served with tea or coffee.
• Love lemon-flavored cakes? Try the recipe for lemon chiffon cake that we posted on March 29, which is National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day.

Apple Pie

December 3: National Apple Pie Day

We would eat a classic apple pie as an All-American dessert on the Fourth of July. But we also like to eat it on Thanksgiving as an additional choice to pumpkin pie. Served à la mode, this comfort food makes a holiday or any day extra special. We are glad that National Apple Pie Day gives us another excuse to prepare this pie so we can eat it in celebration of this food holiday!

Recipe

(Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens All-Time Favorite Pies)

For the double-crust pie pastry dough

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup vegetable shortening (we used Crisco brand)
• 6-7 tablespoons water

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Cut in the shortening and mix until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the dough is moistened.

Divide the dough into two pieces. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to form a circle large enough to cover the diameter of the pie pan with a little overhang. Repeat for the other dough ball.

Without stretching the pastry dough, carefully place one of the circles on a pie plate. Trim the edges with a sharp knife before adding the filling.

For the apple pie filling

• 6 cups apples (we used Granny Smith apples)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tabespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• dash ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Peel, core and slice the apples thinly and place in a large mixing bowl. In a separate smaller bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle this over the apples and toss to mix well.

Place the apples in the pie pan lined with the pastry dough.  Dot with butter. Cover with the other pastry dough. Flute the edges to seal.

Cut some slits to vent. Brush with milk or an egg wash and sprinkle a little sugar on top (optional). Place foil around the edges to prevent from overbrowning and burning. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 20-25 more minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven. Cool completely to allow the apples to gel together. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (optional).

Notes

• Make delicious dokeyanas/pets de sœurs with the leftover pie pastry dough. We posted the recipe on National Pastry Day on December 9.
• Search our blog for other pie recipes.