My Christmas Bakes

Hi! Christmas is around the corner, and this year I've baked some cookies and cakes that my family requested to celebrate with. What's more....the most delicious homemade Chocolate Bars and my not-to-miss Brandy Fruit Cakes!! These 2 recipes are the MUST in the menu. With only 2 recipes are not enough to serve my wonderful guess this year so I've added a cut-out Icing Cookies from Nigella Lawson and a simple yet yummy cooling Beer look alike Apple Juice Jelly from Anncoo Journal. Thanks Ann for sharing this simple and yummy dessert..:))

First, the cut-out Cookies (Recipe by Nigella Lawson) Here I've posted for my own reference.

 Ingredients for cookies dough:
90g butter
100g castor sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
200g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine salt

 Ingredients for icing:
150g icing sugar
food colouring
1-2 tbsps warm water

Method:
~ Cream butter and sugar together until light and pale
~ Add in egg and vanilla and beat well.
~ Add in flour, baking powder and salt and form into a soft dough.
(If dough is too sticky, may add alittle more flour but take note that too much flour may cause the dough tough)
~ Wrap with clingfilm and fridge for at least 1 hour.
~ Sprinkle some flour on surface and roll out dough to a thickness about 0.5cm
~ Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter and place them on to the prepared tin lined with parchment paper.
~ Bake at 180'C for 8-12 mins or until the edge of the cookies turn alittle brown.
~ Cool the cookies completely on a wire rack.
~ Add 1 -2 tbsps water slowly (may not need all) to the icing sugar and mix well until gets a thick paste.
~ Add in desire colour and mix well. Pipe onto cooled cookies and let it set.

I've used colour paste instead of liquid for the icing, for it has mentioned that paste colours don't dilute the icing as they tint.

Secondly, the Brandy Fruit Cake that I've always baked for the Chinese New Year. Please find the recipe here.

It has been my must-bake recipe every year. You can always ignore the brandy if you don't take alchohol.

It's such a wonderful gift for friends and relatives during any festive. And it can be kept in the fridge for few months if wrap properly with aluminium foil and store in an airtight container.

Third, the Chocolate and Nuts Bars. It has been quite some time since I made this. This is 1 of the top recipes in my list. Want it, get it here.

This bars can be kept in the fridge for many months but I'm sure they cannot stay long in your fridge..haha!

Last but not least, the bear look alike Apple Juice Jelly (recipe from Anncoo Journal)
please refer to her blog for recipes.
Thank you again, Ann, for this wonderful recipe!

They do look like beer and I've fooled my sister when she came visit just now..LOL!!
They are so tasty and my daughter has requested it again on Christmas day..:))

Cheers!

Macadamia Chocolate Chips Cookies

Chocolates! Bet everyone can't resist this sweet and tasty snacks huh! I love chocolates as much as my daughter. We can both wallop up few bars of chocolates in a day..haha! 

I have alot chocolate cookies recipes and all are so yummy and tasty and just can't finish to try out all of them. Here, one of the yummilicious one that I'll like to share. Recipe adapted from one of my collection books, with some changes as I can't get some of the ingredients from my nearby bakery store. 

Anyway it turned out super delicious and they never stay long in my cookie jar..;p

I think you can judge how delicious they were from the pictures below...(even though they were badly captured)...haha!

Ingredients:

115g butter

115g brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

115g dark chocolate (roughly chopped)

50g raisins

100g macadamia nuts (roughly chopped)

Method:
~ Preheat oven at 190'C
~ Cream butter with sugar until pale and fluffy
~ Add in egg and vanilla and beat well
~ Stir in flour into the mixture and fold in lightly with a metal spoon
~ Add in chopped chocolate, chopped nuts and raisins and stir well
~ Spoon small spoonful of the mixture onto prepared tin and leaving space for spreading
~ Bake for 15-20 minutes until beginning to turn pale golden
~ Cool for 2-3 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool completely

Look at the chocolate!! It melted when you bite them and the crunch of the nuts just come so well with the cookies. Trust me...its heaven!
If you like chocolates.....please try this!!

Cheers!

Brandy Mixed Fruits Biscotti

Time flies, it's September now! Getting busier towards year end. What is your plan end of this year's holidays? We, Chinese will celebrate the lantern festival (mid autumn festival) in a week time then our Indian friends will be celebrating their Deepavali soon, and then Christmas! Well, school term break is going to start in November and I bet all parents are planning to go somewhere for this holidays. I'm planning to go somewhere relaxing, out from the city life...haha!

Back to the post, here's the biscuits I always love to bite with my cup of coffee. These crunchy Italian cookie has been my all time favourite since many years ago. I've searched for the recipes from many bloggers, books and finally got this from the web (improved). I've done this before (almost similar) long time ago but this time I've added some liqueur to enrich the flavour.

Ingredients:
1.5 cup dried mixed fruits (such as raisins / cherries / orange peels)
*soaked in 2 cups brandy for at least 1 day
3 cups plain flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsps butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs

Method:
~ Drained the mixed fruits. Set aside.
~ Preheat oven at 180'C.
~ Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
~ In an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter with sugar till fluffy.
~ Mix in eggs, one at a time.
~ Reduced speed to low, slowly add in mixed flour then follow by the mixed fruits.
~ On a lightly floured surface, halve the dough and shape each dough into logs (flatten logs to 1/2 inch thick)
~ Brush logs with beaten eggs .
~ Bake for 35 minutes at 180'C. Transfer to wire rack to cool for about 20 minutes.
~ Cut each log on the diagonal into 16 to 18 pieces (shown above)
~ Transfer pieces to prepared tin laying them on sides. Bake for 8 minutes; flip.
~ Bake further (for another side of cookies) for another 8 minutes.
~ let cool until crisp.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Or kept in the fridge to restore the crisp.
These crunchy cookies can be served with some melted chocolate. Finely chopped 120g semi sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place it over a saucepan of simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, remove from heat. Add another 60g chocolate and stir until it has completely melted and is smooth and glossy. Slightly cool the melted chocolate and dip in the biscotti and served.

Cheers!

Chunky Chocolate Cookies

Its been awhile since last post huh.....well I admit I'm far too lazy to bake lately..hehe! Reason?...don't ask, just lazy..:p

Alright since I'm not going to explain, why not just go straight to what I want to post today. Actually this was baked last month with my little girl, and everyone has been asking for this recipe. So I have no excuse to post it now for all my friends to share.

IIngredients:
1/2 cup butter
1tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup fine sugar
1 egg
1.5 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cooking chocolate cut into chunks

Method:
~ Cream butter with sugar and vanilla essence.
~ Add ehg and beat well.
~ Add in flour, salt and baking soda.
~ Stir in chunks of chocolate and mx well.
~ Wrap with cling foil and freeze till firm for 15-20 minutes.
~ Drop teaspoonful into grease cookies sheet.
~ Bake for 15-20 minutes or till edges turn lightly brown at 180`C.

Cheers!!

Hazel Strawberry Jam Cookies

Cookies! It was quite a long time since my last baked of cookies. These were quite special, and delicious. Good to go with a cup of tea!

These were made very last minute when I was told that we are going to meet some friends for dinner. I've never bake anything for them before, so I hope they will like it. By looking at the pictures here, they may taste good ..haha! Why I said that?...because I, myself had never tried it and I dare to give it away...LOL!!

Recipe was taken from a book named "The Great Big Cookies Book" by Hilaire Walden. I didn't really follow the ingredients stated in the book, instead I've changed most of it.

Ingredients:
190g plain flour
100g ground hazelnut
175g butter
100g sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
350g strawberry jam
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:
- Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
- Stir in vanilla essence and add in flour and ground hazelnut.
- Mix well to form a dough. Cover with cling wrap and chill for an hour.
- Preheat oven at 170'C, line  baking sheets in  different trays.
- Divide dough into  portions, roll each piece out on floured surface to a thickness of 3mm.
- Cut the dough with pastry cutter (any desire shape) shown above.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly brown and cooked. Cool them on a wire rack.

Jam:
- In a saucepan, melt the jam with lemon juice until it comes to a simmer.
- Cool the jam, and spread onto the biscuits and sandwich together.

Yummy right! Try try try...:))

Cheers!!

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cupcakes

Another goodies for my daughter to bring to school last week. It was for her Science subject and everyone loves this so much, even the teacher asked whether she can bring this again to school for the Children's Day next month...^^

It's a simple but very very delicious cupcakes that I found from a book, "Beautiful Cupcakes" by chef Kevin Chai. I love his books, all the recipes turn out beautifully!! Anyway there were some changes in this recipe because I was lacked of some ingredients stated in the book....:p

Ingredients:
225g butter
200g sugar
225g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
120g peanut butter
120g dark chocolate (finely chopped)

Topping (which I didn't apply):
60g peanut butter
50g butter
2 tbsps fresh milk

Method:
~ Preheat overn at 175'C, place some cupcakes paper casing on tray. It calles about 20-22 small cupcakes.
~ Combine butter and sugar and beat till light and fluffy.
~ Add in eggs one after another then fold flour and beat until smooth.
~ Stir in peanut butter and chopped chocolate until well combined.
~ Spoon batter into prepared cases and bake for 20 minutes.
~ Remove and cool on rack.
~ For the topping, combine peanut butter and butter, beat until light and fluffy.
~ Add the fresh milk and beat until well combined.
~ Make decoration on top of each cupcakes as you desire.

Soft and fluffy and so yummy! Love this so much!!

While the cupcakes were baking in the oven, my whole kitchen was filled with the smell of peanut butter and chocolate. If you are a peanut butter and chocolate lover, you cannot miss this!!

Cheers!!

Chocolate Marshmallow Surprise Cookies

Hi all, I've been missing for quite a long time...hehe! I'm back!! I've been quite busy with other stuffs but I'm back into my baking world now...^^

Since the mooncake festival is coming soon, I'll be very busy with those mooncakes!!

Well, today I'll like to post this special cookies made by my daughter and me few weeks back. She wanted to bake this so much for her friends in her school for the English subject. So I came up with this simple and yet really delicious cookies for her.

Chocolate Marshmallow Surprise!!

Well, it looks not so attractive, but it really taste good!

Ingredients:
200g unsalted butter
180g sugar
1 egg
300g plain flour
60g cocoa powder
few marshmallow - cut into small pieces (just enough for the cookies)
some melted white chocolate ( for the top decoration)

Method:
~ Preheat oven at 190'C.
~ Prepare a tray with non-stick baking paper.
~ Cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.
~ Add in egg and beat well.
~ Sift flour and cocoa powder over mixture.
~ Stir  with a wooden spoon, then clean with hands, pressing the mixture together to make a fairly soft dough.
~ Roll out about half the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 5mm.
~ Using a 5cm biscuit cutter (any shape you prefer) cut out the dough and place on the prepared baking sheets.
~ Place the marshmallow onto the cut dough (like above).
~ Roll out the remaining dough and cut out as before and place on top of each of the marshmallow.
~ Press the dough edges to seal.
~ Bake for 10-12 mins until the cookies have risen well.
~ Cool completely and drizzle with some melted white chocolate onto the cookies.

Tips:
If the dough is too sticky to roll, chill it for about 30 minutes, then try again.

The cookies was so crispy and when you bite it, the marshmallow will be sticky like eating a pizza!! Interesting right?!!
My daughter told me her friends love it so much and wanted to make this again. You have to try this!!

Cheers!!

Braided Ribbon Twists (麻花)

It's March!! Time flies....and school is going to have their 1st term break. Planning to go anywhere? I'm not....because this holiday is too short (only a week) and my daughter is going to have her Music Theory Exam during that week...*sigh*...boring!!
Then today, the contractors have started their work hacking and drilling my bathroom.....Oooo MESSY & NOISY!! Just because of the leakage underneath the bathtub, I got to remove everything to repair it...:(
Nevermind...I'll just go entertain myself in the kitchen...LOL!! So here it is...the braided ribbon twists was done while the drilling and hacking still going on..^^ ...And also I've cooked my favourite Ribs curry too...haha! YUMMY!!

This was my 2nd attempt since last month. That time I did not do a good job, so while frying the twists...all went loosen and became small biscuits instead. This time, I make sure I twist properly and tightly before frying. Ta-Da....*clap clap* for myself....:)

Done 2 types of braids here, the 2nd one below was my daughter's idea. She keep asking me to braid it like braiding her hair...okay then...so I did some for her..hehe!

This was easy to make which the recipe only needs a few things and no machine requires. The result was good too...very crispy!

Here's the recipe to share...(adapted from the Y3K magazine, Traditional Koh Kuih,Lap Mei & Cookies by Wong Sip Moi)

170g plain flour

65g icing sugar (original called for 70g)

1/4 tsp salt

30g shortening

1 tbsp white sesame seeds

70 ml water (may not need all)

Method:

~ Sieve flour, mix all the ingredients together (with the water adding in slowly) into a smooth dough by hand.

~ Rest dough for 30 minutes.

~ Divide into about 15g portions and shape into slim rolls. Braids them up like the above pictures.

~ Deep fry in hot oil (medium heat) until golden.

~ Remove, drain well and sprinkle with some icing sugar if prefer.

~ Cool completely and store in air tight containers.

Easy right?!..You may like to braid it with your own patterns but remember don't roll the strips too thick or else it may not cook properly. This recipe only yells 8-9 twists, so if you want more...double the recipe!!

A look at the inside, light and crispy. This is my father's favourite too...will make again next week when they come visit..:)

Cheers!!

My CNY Cookies

Finally finally I get to post up something since last December's turkey...hehe! I'm still in the holiday mood and so I'm too lazy to do anything. (but I'm very keen on going shopping....haha!!)
Well, well....not much to bake this year, only 2 new cookies that I'm eager to try and the rest will be the same like last year.
So here's the 2 new ones and an old one for the moment. I still have a week to go for my cakes and peanut puffs....aiyaya!!!

1st, Sweet Potatoes Chocolate cookies...sounds weird ha!!I was totally no idea how it taste like until I finished baking it. Tell you what....this was so so so good and so crispy!!
This recipe was from a book my aunt bought me from Taiwan last year （午茶小点心）. A very good book but with all mandarin written. I got some hard time reading it though...LOL!!


The recipe: (A)
60g sweet potatoes
1/2 tbsp water
1 tbsp castor sugar

(B)
60g chocolate chips

(C)
100g unsalted butter
150g sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
25ml salad oil
200g low gluten flour
1/4 tsp baking soda (optional)


Method:
~ Washed and dry the sweet potatoes (with skin) and cut into small small cubes.
~ Mix water and sweet potatoes cubes in a bowl and into the microwave for 1 minute (covered)
~ Mix in sugar and stir well and in the microwave again for another minute. Set aside.
~ Beat butter and sugar until pale then add in salt, egg yolk and salad oil and beat well.
~ With a spatula, mix in flour and baking soda (if used) then mix into a dough.
~ Take a small amount (like a small fish ball) then wrapped in some sweet potatoes and chocolate chips.
~ Placed on the prepared tray and flatten it. Top with some sweet potatoes and chocolate chips.
~ Bake at preheated oven at 170-180'C for 15 minutes.


2nd, Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies. Recipe from the book published by Seashore, Cookies for all occasions. (过年过节吃饼干)
This was another good one...:)

Recipe:
250g butter
100g icing sugar
100g ground hazelnut
250g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
50g whole hazelnut

Method:
~ Beat butter and icing sugar until creamy.
~ Slowly stir in ground hazelnut, flour and cocoa powder.
~ Using a spatula, mix well into a soft dough.
~ Divide dough into about 10 g each and put into a small paper cups.
~ Press 1 whole hazelnut at the center.
~ Bake in preheated oven at 180'C for 15 minutes or until cooked.

**You may drizzle some melted chocolate on the cookies to enhance the taste.

Then the 3rd one here was my husband's request. Well, he always requested this....haha!
"Harp Tou Sou" (核桃酥)...you may get the recipe here.

I won't be posting anymore for the rest of my old stuffs, and so I'll like to wish everyone a Happy Chinese New year and have a good celebration this year ya...:))

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节快乐

Its Mid-Autumn Festival today!! Wish everyone has a great day and a good celebration with family and friends. During this festival, we'll have lots of food and snacks to celebrate under the beautiful moon. (Hopefully there is a beautiful one tonight..;p) Well all kinds of food and of course not to mention, there must be mooncakes!! Lots of choices nowadays, huh.....and lots of flavours to choose too. By the way, I've just did 2 types this year and both with the same fillings (lotus paste with yolk). And both mooncakes were already sent to family members and friends...none for myself...haha! Anyway, I'm not so keen on eating them this year...:)

Here's my (new) recipe for this year, the other one was the flaky type which I did last year.


The name of this mooncake is so classy and I love it once I read the ingredients....hehe! Yup! This was easy to prepare with a classy name....."Golden Drops" (莲蓉核桃金露酥).

Ingredients:
270g Cake flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
30g custard powder
90g icing sugar
1 egg
75g shortening
75g butter

Deco:
50g walnuts
some white sesame seeds

Method:
~ Mix all ingredients together into a dough. Leave aside.
~ Prepare any fillings as you like and wrapped up with some baked duck egg yolks.
~ Divide pastry into 30g each and wrap with the fillings.
~ Brush with egg yolk, sprinkle some sesame seeds and top with one walnut.
~ Bake at preheated oven at 180'C for 20-25 minutes.


Nutty Ham Mooncakes & Piggy biscuits (below) from my mum....yummy!

Not to forget some ice cream mooncakes during this hot weather. A gift from my friend from Haagen-Dazs...:)

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to everyone!!!

中秋节快乐