Shortbread drop cookies with guava filling

Hi! Here in Puerto Rico we have some tradicional candy that are already part of our cultural you may say; like when I was small and lived in NYC, the big Apple and always had candy apples for summer and never could find these in other states so easily, well something like that.  Anyway, well these we love here and they are called "Polvorones" and others call them "mantecaditos" either way they are delish!!!!
This recipe makes about 50  small pieces.

Polvorones:

1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Crisco
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups of All Purpose flour

Beat together the butter and Crisco with electric mixer, Cream well. Add sugar gradually and beat for 2min aprox. Then add in vanilla and slowly the flour cup by cup and beat until it forms a ball like mass. Refrigerate for 30 mins or I just put it in the freezer for 10 min if I'm in a rush, like always. Take out and make little 1" balls (or andy shape) and flatten them buy making a circle with the back end of the tale of the wooden stick. Bake on a cookie sheet with patchment paper for 10-15min on 350F.

Filling:
Guava Paste or any filling you like!

Once baked and cooled some guava paste and cut into pieces and heat in microwave for 20 seconds and when its all melted just fill in the centers. Let cool completely; watch out for burns with the hot guava. These are also sooo good alone or you can just fill them with anything you like! Once again enjoy making and eating!

These were filled with some dark chocolate ganache I had left over from some macarons I had made earlier in the day. Enjoy!!

Red Velvet Macarons with Mascapone cheese and vanilla bean filling

Oh, Macarons, Macarons, Macarons, Macarons.....Everytime I make these they make me sing!! I promised to post the recipe about 2 weeks ago at the fan page at Facebook and Its finallllly here. It was about time I posted it but between my kids and Valentines Day, it has been a total rush in my life lately. Well here we goooo!

Macarons (Basic recipe)

100gr ground Almonds or almond flour
100-110gr egg whites ( about 3 whites aged for 24hrs)
200 gr powdered sugar
1tsp vanilla (or other flavor) subtitute for red velvet flavor
4-5 tbsp of granulated sugar

In a small bowl mix powdered sugar with almonds and process in a food processor for about 30 seg. Always sift them together afterwards and eliminate any lumps.  In Large bowl wisk whites with electric beater and when they start to get foamy add sugar 1 tbsp at a time.  Keep beating until thick and glossy like merengue. At this point add coloring and or extract. Do not over beat. Then fold dry ingredients into merengue slowly using spatula. Fill in piping bag and pipe on patchment paper or silkpat the shape desired; here in this particular recipe I made hearts for valentine and subtituted the vanilla for red velvet flavoring and didnt have to add any coloring because this flavoring is pretty red.  So after piping leave on counter top for about 30-60 mins for it to form the skins on top, you can touch it and see it made the skin and thats the moment to bake.

Preheat oven to 150C and bake for abount 15 mins. I usually just pick one up and if it still sticks to the bottom they need more time.  Ok, some people say to let cool completely but what I do is that I wait 5 mins and start removing them with my small thin spatula, then cool and fill with favorite filling.

Mascapone cheese filling

1- 8onz Mascapone cheese or cream cheese
3/4 stick of real butter
vanilla extract or bean paste
about 2 cups of powdered sugar

Beat cheese and butter well until creamed and add the extract then slowly on low spoon in the sugar little by little. Turn beater up to medium high and beat for about 1 min until well incorporated.

Once your macarons are cooled and your filling reading,  fill a pastry bag and continue to fill and sandwhich your macarons.

This is just the basic recipe I make but you can make variations with the fillings and adding color to them and other extract, etc, their is No limit, just express your self with them and have a great time making and eating them!! After eating one you cant stop!!!!