Strawberries and White Chocolate

It's dessert time!  Today I'm sharing the recipes for the strawberry tea.  Here is a reminder picture:

On the top, we have bonbon cookies.  I got this recipe from TeaTime Magazine. 

Bonbons

 

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, divided

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 tbls light brown sugar

3 1/2 tsp vanilla extra, divided

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 tbls heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp salt

dried fruit (for example, cherries, apricots, or strawberries!) or nuts

2 tbls gel food coloring (I used red to make pink)

 

Preheat oven to 350.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, butter, brown sugar, 2 1/2 tsp vanilla, almond extract ,and cream, stirring until smooth.  Add flour and salt, stirring until incorporated.  (If dough seems dry, add more cream, 1 tbls at a time until dough forms).

Using a levered 1 tbl scoop, to scoop up cookies.  Press dried fruit into dough while still in scoop, then drop 1 inch apart onto prepared baking sheets, rounded side up.

Bake until set but not brown, 11 to 12 minutes.  Remove cookies from baking sheet, and cool completely on wire racks. 

In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar, milk, and remaining 1 tsp vanilla, whisking until completely smooth.  Tint to desired colors.  Dip tops of cookies into tinted icing.  Let dry.





On the bottom layer of the tiered tray, I made mini-strawberry cupcakes.

White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
4 oz white chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 325 F. Line muffin pans with paper liners.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Microwave white chocolate until melted and smooth.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the white chocolate and vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture (in 3 additions) and milk (in 2 additions), starting and ending with the flour. Beat just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan to cool completely.

Filling:
After the cupcakes have cooled, core the middle.  I cut a round piece out deep enough to put a filling in the middle.  I used strawberry preserves for the filling.

Buttercream frosting:
I used my I used my go-to buttercream recipe to top these cupcakes, Wilton's recipe with a pinch of salt added.  See here for a previous post with the recipe.  I then topped with half a strawberry. 

 

And that's it for my strawberry tea!  Thanks for stopping by.