Thursday, February 14, 2013

The Greatest Love


A happy Valentine's Day to you!  The kids and I spent the day baking cookies and tea bread so that we could surprise Sir Knight with a special Valentine's tea.  As we partake of our sweet repast, we will think on these words....

"But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

May you know the greatest love of all.


Grandma Adam's Sugar Cookies
1 C butter, softened
1 1/4 C sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 C flour
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350°

Cream together butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla.  Stir in flour and baking powder.

Turn out onto a floured surface (or refrigerate until ready for use) and roll 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to brown.  Remove to wire rack to cool.

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Raspberry & Almond Teabread
3 C flour
3 3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 C butter
1 C sugar
1 C ground almonds
4 eggs, beaten
1 T almond extract
1 1/4 C milk
2 C raspberries, fresh or frozen
4 T flaked almonds (optional)

Grease and flour two standard sized bread pans (9x5).

Preheat oven to 350°

Sift the flour into a large bowl along with the baking powder and salt.  Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Stir in the sugar and ground almonds, then gradually mix in the eggs, milk and almond extract.  Beat until smooth (the batter will be rather thick, add a little more milk if necessary).  Fold in the raspberries, being careful not to crush them.  Spoon into the prepared bread pans and sprinkle with flaked almonds (or Turbinado sugar), optional.

Bake for about 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool.

This bread improves with age and is perfectly lovely slathered with a generous layer of butter.

Butter cut into the flour mixture

Adding the sugar and ground almonds

Folding in the raspberries

In the prepared bread pan

Fresh from the oven

3 comments:

  1. Aww, we too baked heart shaped cupcakes, and heart shaped pizza to surprise the hubby!

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  2. Happy Valentine's To You and Yours.

    The cookies and bread look amazing, nice treats for the holiday.

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  3. I am guessing that you grind the almonds and then measure......? How fine?

    Thanks! natokadn

    ReplyDelete