Shortbread cookies recipe

January is the perfect time to bake. It is so cold outside that we crave comfort food. We at the Russian Artists Team love to share good ideas so here is a great recipe of delicate shortbread cookies made using an embossed rolling pin. You can buy a pin like this on Etsy or use your regular one if you want your cookies plain.

The recipe and photos were provided by our team member, Tetyana Otruta ( https://www.etsy.com/shop/otruta ).

Ingredients for basic recipe*:

200 gr unsalted butter, softened

150 gr powdered sugar

1 medium egg

390 gr all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

* If you'd like to make your cookies chocolate flavored, add 30 gr. of cocoa but reduce the flour (the same amount 30 gr). Add an orange or lemon zest from 1 fruit to make them citrus flavored.

How to make them:

Beat the butter with a sugar until creamy. Add the egg and flavor, if using (orange zest or cocoa), then add a flour. The dough will be soft so wrap it in a plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about an hour. Roll out the dough with your regular pin 5-6mm thick, then use your embossed one. Using a floured cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and place them to a freezer for several minutes before baking them.

Preheat the oven to 375'F. Transfer the cookies to parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake for about 5 to 7 minutes.

 Enjoy!

Trip to Death Valley

Do you like to travel? Do you like to explore new places where you want to go back again and again? If you answer "yes", you would understand me :) One of the places where I want to go again and again is Death Valley National Park. So today I would like a story about my last trip to this gorgeous place. You can click any image to get a little bit bigger size.

In general, Death Valley is the hottest, driest, and the lowest place in Northern America. The lowest point is 282 feet (86 m) below sea level. This white crust on the picture is salt.

Death Valley National Park is huge. To visit all points of interest is almost unreal in one day. To get familiar with all easy to reach points (I mean the points that you can reach on paved roads), you'll need at least 2-3 days. And I'm not mentioning the places that are reachable by high clearance or even 4-wheel-drive vehicles only. :) So can you imagine the size of the park now? :)

Death Vally always have been attracting for me. I'd heard and read a lot of articles and stories even before I visited this place first time. The park always was for me as such a mysterious place with the scary name. But believe me, nothing scary there besides very hot and dry weather. Look at those beautiful landscapes. See how vast are they!

This park is a real pearl on California's map. There are you can find a lot of different formations. There are huge multi-colored mountains, big crust of salt, sand dunes, craters... The only one thing that is not frequently seen is water.

Ubehebe Crater. It appeared as a result of large steam explosions

Zabriskie point is attractive because of the interesting hills shape. Seems like huge water streams washed them out. Well... maybe they did after ice age.

There are at least couple dunes in the valley. When you get there, you really feel you are in a desert. Sand is everywhere.

Also, I think roads in the park are quite interesting. Some of them are straight like a ribbon from ridge to ridge, and they start waving only in mountains.

Death Valley is also famous as historical place. It was quite developed mining place during California Gold Rush. There are a lot of abandoned mines and small ghost towns around.

When you are planning to visit California, make Death Valley as a destination point. You'll never regret... believe me!

Story by Irina (IrinaPhotography)

Coffee cake Citrus Delight

Spring is coming so lets add some nice moments to our lives!

Baking is one of life's little pleasures for me so I'd like to share this recipe with you. I am always pleased making this coffee cake, that's why I named it Citrus Delight. Some believe that food is carrying the energy of the cook so make it with love!

You need:

For the dough:

150 g butter, softened

2 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

zest of 1 large orange

For the topping:

1 lemon with the seeds removed and finely chopped

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

2 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1. Separate egg yolks from egg whites. Put egg whites to the refrigerator until ready to use. Mix the 2 egg yolks and 1 cup sugar until thoroughly mixed. Add orange zest.

Add softened butter and baking powder.

Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Make a lemon-walnut mixture: mix finally chopped lemon and walnuts and refrigerate until ready to use.

Whisk together chilled egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar until foamy. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 170'C. Remove the dough from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Spray a rectangular baking dish with a cooking spray and spread the dough evenly with your fingers.

Spread the lemon-walnut mixture evenly on top of dough. Spread egg whites & sugar over lemon-walnut mixture.

Bake at 170'C for about 25 minutes in the middle of the rack. Then move it to the top rack for 5 more minutes. Do not over bake, it should be moist and soft.

Slice your Citrus Delight. It smells wonderful, tastes great and is ready to be served!

Recipe by Yana (YanArt)

Translated by Tanya (Socksandmittens)

Sweet Valentine

Valentine is the sweetest holiday of all and not just because a romantic prospect. This day is all about sweet deserts!


So we'd like to share this recipe with you. It is easy to make and will look perfect on your Valentine's table! Maria (lovelytrifles), who is the author of this delicious strawberry cake calls it "Strawberry fields forever" because she is using strawberries from her own garden in the summer. For the rest of us, who do not grow organic produce it is time to make a list and start shopping!


Here is what you need:

For dough:
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
Butter to grease a form (cooking spray will work also)
2 tablespoons farina
about 3 lbs of strawberries

For glaze:
2 stick of chocolate (200 gr)
50-70 ml of milk (1.5-2.5 oz)
30 gr of butter

Springform pan for baking

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 385'F.
Beat eggs and sugar with mixer. Add flour in two portions at the time while continue beating. The dough should be smooth with no lumps.


Grease your baking springform pan (about 12" diameter). Sprinkle the bottom and edges with farina. Arrange strawberries on the bottom of form, it can be done in two layers (reserve some strawberries for decoration). Pour the liquid dough on top of berries and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes or until ready (use a toothpick to check if it is ready). Let it chill in a form, then remove the sides.

Make the glaze:
In a double boiler melt the chocolate. Add the butter and the milk and stir occasionally until smooth.


While it is still hot pour the glaze over the cooled cake and spread it evenly. Let it cool slightly and decorate with strawberries.

Bon appetite and we hope your Valentine will like it!


Recipe by Maria (Lovelytrifles)
Translated by Tanya (Socksandmittens)

Grape Cake Recipe

Our team members are not only talented crafters. They are great in many other fields. :) One of our favorite activities is cooking. And we like to share recipes. :)

Today, Tanya (SocksAndMittens) is sharing a recipe of her great Grape Cake. It's really to die for! And easy to cook all year around. :) So surprise your family!

Grape cake


Ingredients:

4 cups seedless stemless grapes
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
butter flavored cooking spray
flat rectangular baking dish (mine is 9 1/2 by 13 1/2 and 2" deep)
powdered sugar (optional)


How to make it:

Preheat oven to 385'F.

Blend together eggs & sugar, add vanilla & baking powder.


Add flower and blend the butter.


Add grapes to a bowl, mix well to cover grapes with liquid dough.


Pour mix to a prepared baking dish (sides & bottom should be sprayed with cooking spray).


Bake at 385'F for 35 to 40 minutes (time can vary depending on oven but you can always check readiness with a toothpick).


Let it cool and slice it with a pizza slicer or a sharp knife.
Sprinkle each slice with a powdered sugar right before serving (optional)

Enjoy and please let us know how do you like it!