K is for Kart-Wheels

These Kart-Wheels were made on July 23rd and they came out alright.

This recipe calls for about 1 cup of pie filling or jam. I wanted to use cherry pie filling because cherry pies are one of my favorite types. However, when you go to the store to buy pre-made pie filling, they do not come in one cup cans. They come in 21oz. This means I immediately decided to double this recipe to make sure I could use all of the pie filling. 

The irony of this decision is that I was more focused on the filling and ran out of flour halfway through so had to run to the store to pick more up. 

Making the dough was clear and easy. Filling the actual Kart-Wheels was confusing. 

The book said, "Divide the dough into 6 equal parts." In my case 12 equal parts. "Shape each part into a ball. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet; flatten slightly. Make an indentation, 1 3/4 inches in diameter and about 3/4 inch deep, in center of each flattened ball."

This being a kid's book, I think shapes or other descriptors would have helped. Like flatten into a ball, and make a dent the size of a half-dollar or the back of a tablespoon would have been helpful. Something other than measurements. I have a lot of things in my kitchen but not a ruler or a tape measure.  

Since I had a double batch I decided to try it two ways. The first was to try and figure out how to make this weird little dent into my flatten ball. If you look at the first image then itis the Kart-Wheels on the right. This method, I felt, made the filling sit on top of the dough.

The second method I chose to take the little balls and make them into little cups. More like a tart type shape without a tart cup. This made the Kart-Wheels more like little mini pies The Kart-Wheels on the left in the first image. 

After cooking, cooling, and eating, I preferred the mini pies. I enjoyed the Kart-Wheel dough recipe overall since it was nice and tasty. I just liked knowing the cherries would stay in the baked good and not roll-off. 

J is for Jelly Roll

This recipe was made on July 22nd. I was very excited to make it. I enjoy watching some cooking shows. I would say my top favorites are Nailed It! and The Great British Baking Show. These are from both ends. The first end being people that are probably a danger to themselves and loved ones and the top of the top in baking skills that don't own their own shop. 

Well in The Great British Baking Show they always seem to have some kind of rolled, sponge in their competition. Sponge is the British term for cake. 

I have, to my memory, cooked a cooled cake before so I was super excited. To try this recipe. I know that I have done rolled items before, like failed attempts at cinnamon rolls, or the Elephant Ears, but again not with a cake. 

 

I followed the directions step by step, put it in a normal baking sheet since I don't have a proper jelly roll pan. 

Once it was fully cooked, I think I overcooked it, I put it on my towels covered in powdered sugar, and immediately rolled it up and let it sit for about 30 minutes. 

Once the 30 minutes ended I unrolled the cake, filled it with some homemade raspberry jam from Husband's aunt, and then re-rolled the cake. 

It looked pretty good and it tasted okay. The powdered sugar made a huge mess like it always seems to do. The presentation was nice and I would try it again.

 

I is for Ice Cream Sandwich

I made this recipe on 7.21.2020 and I have to tell you that this was probably one of my favorite items I made for the first time out of this book. 

The whole process is kind of long because first, you have to make and cool the cookies. Then add the ice cream and let it sit for a while, and then melt and add the chocolate and then again, let the cookies set again. I would say the whole process took about 2 and a half hours but with lots of breaks. 

All these steps are totally worth it. The cookies honestly taste like something found in a store except better because I know that I made them. 

The peanut butter recipe itself was a solid tasty recipe. The cookies were firm but still a little crumbly which I enjoy in a peanut butter cookie.

For the ice cream, I used cookie and cream because it is one of Husband's favorite kinds. I also think that was a good choice. Honestly, any kind of ice cream could go well with this cookie. Vanilla, chocolate, coffee, chocolate chip, cookie dough, anything that pairs with peanut butter. 

Dipping half the cookie in chocolate, I really think that was the kicker to the whole thing. The last step that just pushed it over the edge to amazing. These did not last long in our house. 

To store them I wrapped them individually in plastic wrap. I think putting them in a zip lock bag or container for longer storage would have been a good idea but, again they did not last. 

The peanut butter cookie recipe did say it would make 30 cookies aka, 15 sandwiches, but I only had 24 cookies. I think it was my cookie scoop I used. 

Husband enjoyed these but Broha did the most damage to this batch eating about half of them. 

H is for Honey Cookies

Making these cookies was interesting. They, like most recipes in this book were pretty easy to follow. Using my tablespoon cookie ice scream scoop I was able to make the cookies pretty much the same size. 

I think the difficult part was in baking them. I put them in for the recommended time and they were kind of gooey in the middle. It wasn't bad but wasn't sure if that was a texture thing or a underbaked and I'm about to give myself stomach issues thing.

The second batch I cooked longer and they were not gooey in the middle and remained soft and slightly chewy like the first batch. 

Over all the cookies were fun to make since they were a little different but I don't think I would make them again. Or if I did, maybe make them smaller and cook longer.