Maple Stars Recipes

MAPLE STARS

Steps:

• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and maple extract. Beat in flour mixture until just blended. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into disk; wrap disks separately in plastic and chill until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured work surface to 11-inch round, about 1/3 inch thick. Using 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter dipped into flour, cut out cookies from dough. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Reroll dough scraps on lightly floured surface and cut out additional cookies. Repeat with remaining dough disk.
• Bake cookies until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks and cool completely.
• Stir powdered sugar and milk in medium bowl until smooth (icing will be thick). Using small offset spatula or butter knife, spread icing over top of 1 cookie, then sprinkle top with sugar crystals. Repeat with remaining cookies, icing, and sugar crystals. Let cookies stand at room temperature until icing is dry and firm, at least 1 hour. (Can be made ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)
• *Bright white sparkling sugar crystals are available at some supermarkets, cake and candy supply stores, and online at lacuisineus.com.

MAPLE-GLAZED YAM STARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place each yam on its side and slice crosswise into 1/2-inch rounds.
• Using a 3-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out a star shape from each round. Discard the scraps.
• Place the stars in the baking dish. Pour the orange juice and syrup over the top, and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, until yams are soft to the touch of a fork, then remove the foil and bake for approximately 30 more minutes, or until yams start to become candied. Keep a watchful eye on stars and remove early if the pan juices reduce to the point of burning. To avoid any breakage, serve directly from the baking dish with a spatula.

MAPLE STARS

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and maple sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 4 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla; beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to medium low; add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap; shape into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Divide the dough into thirds. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll out the dough on a floured surface until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out stars with a 2-inch cutter; arrange 1 inch apart on 2 ungreased baking sheets and sprinkle with gold sugar. Refrigerate the cutouts 15 minutes.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are set and lightly browned on the bottoms, 13 to 16 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets.
• Make the filling: Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Let cool. Stir in the butter with a rubber spatula, then stir in the confectioners¿ sugar, maple extract and lemon juice until smooth. Sandwich between the cookies.

MAPLE & STAR ANISE ROASTED PLUMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Arrange the plums in a single layer in a 1-litre gratin dish. Pour over orange juice, tuck star anise among the plums, drizzle over the maple syrup, then gently stir. Bake for 30-35 mins until the fruit is soft but not collapsed. Serve warm or cold with mascarpone or yogurt on the side.
• The roasted plums can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

CINNAMON STARS

Steps:

• Stir together the almonds, cinnamon, and lemon zest until combined.
• Beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Slowly sift in the confectioner's sugar, continuing to beat until the mixture is stiff. Set aside 1/3 cup of the egg white mixture for the glaze. Fold in the almond mixture.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C). Line the cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a surface that has been sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Using a 2 1/2-inch star cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and place them on the cookie sheets.
• To make the glaze, add the lemon juice to the reserved egg white mixture, stirring until smooth. Brush the tops of the cookies lightly with the glaze. (If the glaze starts to thicken, add a few more drops of lemon juice.)
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. When done, they will be light brown and soft in the center. Remove and cool on wire racks.

MAPLE SALMON

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.
• Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

CHEWY MAPLE BARS

Steps:

• In a mixing bow, cream sugar and shortening. Add syrup and egg and beat well. Combine flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture. Add vanilla and mix well. Stir in oats and walnuts. Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Cut into squares while warm. Cool on a wire rack.

MAPLE BARS

Steps:

• For Maple Bars: In saucepan scald milk.
• Add shortening, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
• Dissolve and let cool to lukewarm.
• In large bowl dissolve 2 packages of yeast in water.
• Add beaten eggs and stir.
• Stir saucepan mix into yeast mixture.
• Gradually add flour.
• Knead.
• Let rise in bowl for an hour.
• Punch down and roll out to 1" thickness.
• Cut into squares and let rise again on lightly greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 425°F for 7-8 minutes or until light golden brown. Watch carefully.
• For Icing: In saucepan mix butter, brown sugar and milk.
• Bring to boil and simmer 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes.
• Add mapleine and then powdered sugar and blend well.
• Add more powdered sugar if needed.
• Spread on maple bars and enjoy.

STICKY MAPLE ROOTS

Steps:

• Tip the carrots and parsnips into a large pan with the butter, star anise, thyme, maple syrup and 250ml water. Season with salt, then cover and boil for 10-15 mins until the water has evaporated and the vegetables are tender. Turn down the heat and cook until the carrots and parsnips are starting to caramelise and turn a light golden brown.
• Shake the pan gently to cover the veg in the sticky syrup, then season with cracked black pepper and serve.