3 Favorite Recipes from Icing Smiles’ Board of Professional Bakers

See what Chef Charity George of d’zrt Cake Studio, Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes, and Anne Heap of Pink Cake Box are baking this holiday season. 

The holiday season is upon us! Whether you’re looking for homemade baked goods to give or to serve, these easy recipes have short ingredient lists, can be made ahead, and/or don’t require special equipment.

But there’s one more common trait that they all share: They are all favorites of Icing Smiles board members and professional bakers Chef Charity George of d’zrt Cake Studio, Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes, and Anne Heap of Pink Cake Box.

So get the kids baking, satisfy your sweet tooth, and bring a smile to your friends and families faces this holiday season.

Best Amaretti Cookies

This recipe comes courtesy of Chef Charity George. “I hold Icing Smiles deep in my heart,” she says. “As a medical mom and cake artist, I know from personal experience the strain and stress our recipient families are going through and the tremendous need for good memories at a time when there are so few.” 

These easy cookies are a great way to spend time with the family and make some fun holiday memories.

BEST AMARETTI COOKIES

4 cups slivered almonds
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large egg whites
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Line three baking sheets with Silpat baking mats.

Grind almonds with granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor until fine. Transfer to a medium bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add almond extract.

Gently stir egg-white mixture into almond mixture to form a thick paste. Drop dough in rounded teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, and let stand at room temperature to dry for 2 hours.

Place rack in center of oven, and preheat oven to 300 F. Transfer sheets to oven, and bake amaretti until edges are golden and cookies are firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

Amazing Chocolate Brownies

This recipe comes from Elisa Strauss, who learned how to make these rich, decadent brownies when she was in pastry school. “And I’ve never found a brownie recipe that I like better,” she says. “They are dense and more like fudge than cake.”

A few pro tips: The brownies can be stored in the freezer for up to two weeks, tightly wrapped in at least two layers of plastic wrap. For easier cutting, freeze the brownies overnight, then remove from the freezer and allow to defrost slightly (about 30 minutes). Then cut with a chef’s knife.

AMAZING CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
Yield: 1 half-sheet (13-by-18-inch pan)

2 cups (8 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 cups (4 sticks; 16 ounces) unsalted butter
16 ounces bittersweet chocolate
8 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Brush the bottoms and sides of the pan with melted butter, and line the bottoms with parchment paper. 

Sift the flour into a large bowl. Set aside. 

In a double boiler, melt the butter and chocolate together over low heat. 

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the eggs, salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla on low speed until combined. Slowly add the melted chocolate and butter mixture, and beat on low speed until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the flour, using a rubber spatula. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour, until the top has formed a shiny crust and is moderately firm. Allow the brownies to cool for 20 minutes before removing them from the pan. When cool, release the brownies from the pan by running a metal spatula or knife along the sides of the pan. Flip the brownies over onto another pan or cake board and peel away the parchment.

Butterscotch Walnut Blondie Bar

This recipe is courtesy of Anne Heap. Anne says she loves being a part of Icing Smiles because it brings so many smiles to children and their families at a time when they need it most. “I love being able to use my craft in such a meaningful way,” she says. 

BUTTERSCOTCH WALNUT BLONDIE BAR

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Grease 9-by-13-inch pan (or 10-by-15 jelly roll pan for thinner bars).

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. 

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chips and nuts. 

Put into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Become a Sugar Angel

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