Mini Black & White Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2  1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup skim milk
• 3 large egg whites
• 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup boiling water,or more if necessary, divided
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

Makes 30 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray or cover with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Add whole eggs, one at a time, and incorporate with mixer; blend in 1 teaspoon of vanilla and lemon zest.
3. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a separate medium bowl.
4. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; add milk and beat well. Add remaining flour mixture and beat well.
5. Whip egg whites in a medium bowl, with a wire whisk, until soft peaks form; gently fold egg whites into cookie batter.
6. Drop batter by heaping teaspoons onto cookie sheets; batter should remain in high mounds. Make sure to leave at least 2-inches of space between each mound of batter.
7. Bake cookies until edges turn slightly brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheets for 1 to 2 minutes; move to wire racks and allow to cool completely.
8. Meanwhile, to make vanilla icing, combine 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of boiling water and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla in a medium bowl; beat until smooth. Using a pastry brush or flexible spatula, paint half of each cooled cookie with vanilla icing. (NOTE: Make sure to ice the flat side of each cookie. You should always use the vanilla icing first)
9. To make chocolate icing, combine remaining cup of powdered sugar, cocoa and 2 tablespoons of boiling water in a medium bowl; beat until smooth. Add a little more water, a teaspoon at a time, if icing is too dry. Using the same brush or spatula, paint the second half of the flat side of each cookie. Allow icing to dry completely before serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts (2 cookies per serving)

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. Who does not loves cookies? Come on?! Black and white cookies are an American classic and so delicious. You can make these classic cookies at home and they will be just as delicious as the ones you buy at your local bakery or supermarket. Although I should warn you that when I made the vanilla and chocolate icings, they were very gooey but delicious. You can eat the cookies plain and they will still be yummy or you can dip the cookies into whichever icing you feel like.

Lemon Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 tbsp light brown sugar
• 8 tbsp regular butter, cold, cut into 1/2- inch pieces
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups  powdered sugar, divided
• 3/4 cups fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest

Makes 24 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. To make crust, mix flour and light brown sugar using a food processor until fully incorporated. Toss butter into flour mixture and pulse to combine using short bursts of power until butter is cut into tiny pea-sized pieces and dough appears lumpy. Sprinkle crust mixture onto an ungreased 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking pan as evenly as possible; press down with a spatula to create a packed surface. Place crust in middle of oven and bake until golden, about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, to make lemon topping, beat eggs in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until well blended. Add vanilla extract and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar; mix well. Add lemon juice and remaining powdered sugar; mix until powdered sugar is completely dissolved and then add zest.
4. As soon as crust is finished, remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Immediately pour lemon mixture over hot crust. Bake completely, about 30 minutes; cool, and cut into 24 bars.

 WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts Yields 1 bar per serving.

Note: This recipe appears on  www.weightwatchers.com. Who does not enjoy lemon bars?!. They make your lips pucker, they're tart yet sweet and they can be served for dessert, at a bake sale or ata casual gathering. Make sure the crust is HOT when you pour in the lemon mixture  so they bars will come out of the pan easily. You can substitute lemon extract for the vanilla for a more tar taste. You can also change the flavor completely by using lime juice and zest instead of lemon.

 

 



Frosted Chocolate Layer Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp fat-free margarine
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 large egg whites
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 oz milk chocolate chips , about 4 tbsp
• 6 tbsp milk
• 16 oz. powdered sugar

Makes 16 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F Coat 2 (9-inch) round or square cake pans with cooking spray; set aside.
2. To make the cake, combine flour, brown sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Mix well with a fork to break up the brown sugar; set aside.
3. Melt 4 tbsp of the margarine. Combine buttermilk, egg whites, melted margarine and 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl; using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until blended. Gradually beat in boiling water and then add in flour mixture; mix on low speed until blended.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes; invert cakes onto rack, remove pans and cool completely.
5. Eanwhile, to make the frosting, melt remaining  2 tbsp of margarine in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add milk and chocolate chips, cook until blended and smooth, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in remaining 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract; cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool, about 15 minutes. using an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add powdered sugar and mix until blended.
6. To assemble cake, spread 1/2 cup of frosting on top of one cake layer. Top with second cake layer and spread remaining frosting over top and sides; slice into 16 slices and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. It was my birthday and I wanted to make my own birthday cake and the photo for this recipe looked so delicious I couldn't pass it up. This recipe is labeled as difficult. The only difficult thing about this recipe is assembling the cake, everything else is easy. It looks overwhelming but all you have to do is have everything in its place and it's smooth sailing. Baking take time and the end product tastes delicious when it's done right. Make sure you mix your dry ingredients separately from your wet ingredients because the cake will be moist and fluffy. My mom and I LOVED this cake because it was fluffy, moist, chocolatey and delicious. It was even better than the cake mixes you but at the grocery store. You can even cut the recipe in half and the cake will still be heavenly delicious. I highly recommend making this cake for a special occasion because it's worth it. 



Boston Cream Pie

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 cup cake or all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Custard:

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups 1% milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:

• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp chocolate extract (optional)

Makes 12 Servings

1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with nonstick spray. Line with wax paper rounds and spray with nonstick spray.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat the eggs until thickened, about 3 minutes. Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low. Add the water, butter and vanilla; beat until blended. Add the flour mixture; beat until just blended. Pour the batter into the pans, dividing it evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Let coolo completely in the pans on racks. Runa knife around the edges of the cakes to loosen them from the pans; invert onto racks. Remove the wax paper.
3. To make the custard, whisk together the granualted sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the milk and egg until blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture simmers, about 3 minutes. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickned, about 1 minute longer. Remove the saucepan from the heat; stir in the butter and vanilla. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface; let cool.
4. To make the glaze, sift together the confectionaers' sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan; stir in the condensedmilk and set over low heat. Cook, stirring, until the mixture bubblesand thickens, about 2 minutes; cook 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and chocolate extract if using. let cool until thickened, about 10 minutes.
5. To assemble the cake, place 1 cake layer, bottom side up, on a serving plate. Whisk together custard until smooth; spread evenly over the layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with the remaining layer, top side up. Using a narrow metal spatula, spread the chocolate glaze evenly over the cake.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 PTS

Note: This recipe appears in the WW All-Time Favorite Recipes Cookbook. In 1855 in Boston, the Parker House's pastry chef decided to dress up the hotel's Boston Pie, a 2 layer sponge filled with custard and dusted with confectioners' sugar, by topping it with a rich chocolate glaze. The chef renamed it the Parker House Chocolate Pie but over the years its name became the Boston Cream Pie. It still remains the signature dessert at the Omni Parker House and is the official State dessert of Massachusetts. I consider my self a Bostonian and I have always wanted make the official state dessert of Massachusetts. The cake was delicious as was the custard and the chocolate glaze was chocolatey. I screwed up on the chocolate glaze and the custard was not as custard-like but the cake was fluffy and moist. If and when I make this again, I'll make Boston Cream cupcakes so they will be easier to make and freeze. 

Individual Chocolate Souffles

Ingredients:

• 2 spray(s) cooking spray
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp sugar, granulated, divided
• 3 Tbsp low-fat chocolate milk
• 1 large egg white(s)
• 1/2 tsp powdered sugar

Makes 2 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat two 6 oz ramekins with cooking spray.
2. In a small saucepan, whisk together cocoa, flour and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; set over medium heat. Add milk; cook until smooth, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool for about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk egg white until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add remaining tablespoon granulated sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Fold cooled chocolate mixture into egg whites, a little at a time, until no white streaks appear.
4. Pour batter into prepared ramekins; bake until set and tops look slightly dry, about 14 to 16 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar; serve warm. Yields 1 soufflé per serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3pts.

Note: This recipe appears on http://www.weightwatchers.com/ and it's the perfect finish after a delicious meal. It's very easy to make and very chocolatey as well. Plus they are the best alternative ot chocolate cake. Do not open oven until soufflés are done. Cold air can cause them to sink. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for larger gatherings.

 

Chocolate-Fudge Cookie Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 spray(s) cooking spray, or more if needed
• 1/3 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 cup(s) margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup(s) sugar
• 4 oz unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar

48 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat two nonstick cookie sheets with cooking spray.
2. Place cocoa, margarine and sugar in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer. Add applesauce and vanilla; beat to blend. In another small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into cocoa batter with a wooden spoon.
3. Shape batter into 48 marble-sized balls. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to stand for 1 minute. Remove to wire rack and cool; sprinkle with powdered sugar. (Note: Store extra cookies in freezer-safe containers or plastic bags to maintain their freshness.) Yields 1 cookie per serving.  

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 per cookie

Note This recipe appears on http://www.weightwatchers.com/. This recipe was too good to pass up plus I was on a roll with the baked eggs dish! These cookies are so deilicous after dinner with or without the powdered sugar. They are very chewy and addictive. I highly recommend baking these cookies for a bakesale and they will go fast.