Wednesday, March 4, 2009

SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES

snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coating:
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Method:
1) In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.


2) Using electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough. If the dough is soft, cover and refrigerate until firm enough to roll into balls (one to two hours).


3) Preheat oven to 190 degreesC and place rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

4) Shape the dough into 1 inch (2.54 cm) round balls.

5) Coating: In a large shallow bowl mix together the sugar and cinnamon.

6) Roll the balls of dough in the cinnamon sugar and place on the prepared pan, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Then, using the bottom of a glass, gently flatten each cookie to about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick.

7) Bake the cookies for about 8 - 10 minutes, or until they are light golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

APPLE TURNOVERS

apple turnovers

Makes about 20 mini

Ingredients:
ready-made puff pastry

Filling:
3 green apples
4 tbsps of brown sugar
a handful of raisins
3 tbsps of lemon juice
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 tbsp of butter

Egg Wash:
1 egg + 2 tbsps of milk, beaten

Method:
1) Combined all the filling ingredients except cinnamon in a pan and cook until the apples are tender and the filling is almost dry. Add in cinnamon and set it aside to cool down.

2) On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry dough thinly and cut into round shape with cookie cutter or any shapes that you like.

3) Spoon the cooled apple filling onto the pastry and lightly moisten the edges of the rounds with water and fold the dough over the filling to form semicircular turnovers. Press down on the edges to seal.

4) Preheat oven to 180 degreesC. Brush turnovers with egg wash and bake for 20 min or until golden brown. Let cool on rack.

Monday, December 22, 2008

M&M COOKIES


Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or shortening, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsps vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cups M&M'S® Brand Milk Chocolate Mini Baking Bits (reserve 1/2 cup for decorating)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degreesC.

2. Beat sugars and butter (or shortening) until light and fluffy.

3. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well.

4. Stir in 1 3/4 cups M&M'S® Brand Milk Chocolate Mini Baking Bits. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Press several additional M&M'S® Brand Milk Chocolate Mini Baking Bits into each cookie.

5. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

LIME MELTAWAYS

lime meltaways

Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
finely grated zest of 2 limes
2 tbsps fresh lime juice
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsps all-purpose flour
2 tbsps cornstarch
1/4 tsp coarse salt

Method:
1. Put butter and 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add lime zest and juice and vanilla, and mix until fluffy.

2. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Add to butter mixture, and mix on low speed until just combined.

3. Divide dough in half. Place each half on an 8-by-12-inch sheet of parchment paper. Roll in parchment to form a log 1 1/4 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log. Refrigerate logs until cold and firm, at least 1 hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove parchment from logs; cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Space rounds 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies until barely golden, about 13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. While still warm, toss cookies with remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

Monday, October 13, 2008

ROSEBUD MADELEINES

rosebud madeleines

Makes 15

Ingredients:
50g unsalted butter
1 large egg
40g caster sugar
pinch of salt
45g plain flour
1 tbsp rosewater
icing sugar, for dusting

Method:
1. Melt the butter over low heat, then leave to cool. Beat the egg, caster sugar abd salt for about 5 minutes, until it's as thick as mayonnaise.

2. Sprinkle in the flour; hold a sieve above the egg and butter mixture and sieve te flour in. Fold in the flour with a wooden spoon.

3. Then fold in melted butter and rosewater Mix well, but not too vigorously. Leave to rest in the fridge fot 1 hour, then take ut and leave at room temperture for half an hour.

4. Preheat oven to 220 degreesC. Generously brush the insides of the madeleines tins with soften/melted butter. Fill in the mixture, about 1 teaspoon in each. Do notworry about covering the moulded indentations; the heat of the oven will spread the mixture.

5. Bake for 5 minutes, though check after 3. Turn out and let cool on a wire rack, then arage on a plate and dust with icing sugar.