Chinese New Year Baking : Almond London Cookies

Chinese New Year is once again around the corner (February 8th)! For this year, I thought aside from the staple pineapple tart, I should try my hand at another favourite cookies for the festival. When I saw a recipe for Almond London Cookies during my blog surfing, I knew I want to make these. These did not originate from London and I have no idea why this cookies exists in Malaysia. The cookie is basically a toasted almond wrapped with short cookie dough, bake lightly, then dipped into melted chocolate and finish off with a sprinkle of chopped/nibbed almonds.

For step-by-step tutorial, please go to Nasi Lemak Lover.


Almond London Cookies
Source : Nasi Lemak Lover (linked above)

150g whole almonds

30g nibbed almonds

170g butter (salted)

60g icing sugar, sifted

20g egg yolk (used 1 yolk)

300g cake flour (used plain flour)

300g chocolate

Method

1. Toast whole almonds in oven at 180°c for 13-15mins, and toast nibbed almonds at 180°c for 1-2mins. Set aside to let it cool completely before use.
2. Cream butter and icing sugar till light and pale.
3. Add in egg yolk, beat well to combine.
4. Add in cake flour, mix until it come together to form soft dought. Do not over work it.
5. To weight dough 6g each, wrap up a whole almond, and shape into oval shape.
6. Bake cookies at 160°c (fan forced) for 15mins or until golden brown, set aside to cool completely.
7. Melt chocolate over double boiler or microwave oven. Dip cookie in melted chocolate. Use a small fork, transfer coated cookie into a mini paper cup.
8. Sprinkle some toasted nibbed almonds on top. Chill in the fridge (~10mins) to set the chocolate before storing in air-tight container. Store in cool place to prevent chocolate from melting.

Chocolate Swirl Cookies

You probably know and I've mentioned that I rarely bakes cookies or biscuits. We do tend to buy cookies / biscuits that have something to with chocolate. We ran out of bought snacks and since I have all the ingredients for this recipe, I quickly whip this up. I would be relying this as my go-to chocolate based cookies going forward. The quantity of sugar have been reduced to my taste which resulted in a more intense chocolate bite. For special occasions and a more decadent version, I intend to sandwich with chocolate butter cream!

Chocolate Swirl Cookies
via BBC Good Food

**I halved this recipe and yield around 24 medium-size cookies

Ingredients 
200g softened butter 
300g soft brown sugar (in my halved recipe, I reduced from 150gm to 75gm)
2 tsp vanilla extract 
2 eggs 
300g self raising flour (used regular plain flour)
80g cocoa powder 
1 tsp baking powder 
300g choc chips (eliminated)

My additions
++ rum, to taste
++ pinch of salt,  if using unsalted butter

Method

1. preheat oven to 180 c/ gas 4
2. cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in vanilla extract and eggs
3. in a separate bowl sift flour, cocoa and baking powder together
4. add flour mix to the creamed mix in stages( a third at a time) mix well. fold in choc chips until just combined.
5. spoon a tablespoon of the mixture on to a baking tray and just let it drop off the spoon, repeat until you have used up all the cookie mixture.
6. bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes, when you remove the cookies from the oven they will still be soft, leave to cool completely on the baking tray, where they will continue to cook slightly,when completely cold move to a cooling rack. then enjoy!

Easy shortbread cookies and Easy sugar icing

If  you haven't noticed Groot-shaped cookies are everywhere on the web. This batch of cookies turned out good, taste wise. As for the decoration, well, I think brown coloured icing would've been more successful. That said, I am very satisfied with the shortbread recipe and the easy sugar icing.

Easy shortbread
via citromhab (I halved the recipe)

Ingredients
150gm plain flour, sifted
100gm cold butter
75gm powdered sugar, sifted (including 1 packet of vanilla sugar)
a pinch of salt
1/2 tsp of cinnamon powder

Preparation
1) In a bowl, place the sifted plane flour and salt, work-in the butter by using a fork until crumbly in texture.
2) Next add in the sifted sugar and cinnamon powder. Knead lightly until it just come together, do not over work. Flatten the dough and wrap it with cling film and let it rest in refrigerator for 1 hour.
3) 20 mins. before 1 hour resting time, start pre-heating the oven at 180°c
4) After 1 hour resting time, roll out the dough and cut and shape dough in to desired shapes. Work quickly as the dough melt easily.
5) Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 8-10 mins. until base is brown.


Easy Sugar icing
via Cleverlysimple

Ingredients

1 Cup Powdered Sugar, sifted

4 tsp Milk

Preparation

1. Mix with fork!
2. You can customize this recipe by adding powdered sugar to make it thicker. Add more milk to make it a glaze.

Easy shortcrust pastry biscuits

This is a great nibble for parties and for family and friends who are visiting. You should also check out the link below to see how the recipe creator uses the dough to make sweet treats.


Easy shortcrust pastry biscuits
translated from Web Cukrászda


Ingredients

150gm unsalted butter, cold
250gm flour
pinch of salr
5-7 Tbsp cold soda water
egg yolks, for egg wash
sesame seeds, grated cheese etc as garnish

Preparation :-

1) Pre-heat oven at 190°c.
2) Freeze butter for about 15 mins.
3) Pour flour in a glass bowl, sprinkle in a pinch of salt, grate over (medium size) frozen butter on to flour. Use a fork or your fingers, combine the mixture until it resembles large of bread crumbs. Make a well in the middle, add in little by little cold soda water, knead until mixture just combine, do not over work it!
4) You can rest the dough for 15-20 mins. in the fridge or immediately roll it out. *I rested it.
5) Roll out dough into the thickness of 0.5cm. cut in to desired shapes. brush egg wash. Sprinkle your chosen garnish.
6) Bake in the pre-heated oven for around 12-16 mins. or until golden brown and crispy.
7) Keep in air-tight container to maintain crispness. What I did was freeze them in freezer safe bags until I need it. Just defrose on serving plate about 1 hours before guests arrive. and reheat in low oven for 5 mins.

Stained glass Biscuits

Stained Glass Biscuits
via   You too can cook  
 ** I have copy and paste the whole recipe for my easy reference. Please visit the link provided for detailed step-by-step

Ingredients
250gm All purpose flour
100gm Granulated sugar
100gm Unsalted butter, slightly cold
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Milk , or as required
2 pinches Salt
1/2 tsp Baking powder
Hard candies - As required (Different flavors and colors preferably) 

• Take a mixing bowl add flour, salt, baking powder and sugar, whisk well using a hand whisk. 

• Add butter and mix well to this flour mix and mix well using your fingers. 

• Lightly beat egg using a spoon and add it to the mixture, mix well. If your dough is crumbly add milk and knead well to make a soft dough.

• Now wrap the dough in a plastic wrap or just place in a bowl and cover with a lid, then let it rest in a refrigerator for half an hour or until the dough chills and is not soft. 
• Then line a baking tray with parchment or butter paper and set aside. 
• Now place the chilled dough on a rolling board (pastry board / chapati board) and roll it flat until it is thin. 

• After rolling, cut into shapes using a cookie cutter. 

• Then cut out some shapes, in the center using a smaller cookie cutter/mini moulds/any bottle caps. You can be creative here with the design and use your own ideas. (You can prick some holes using a skewer or toothpick or a straw on the cookies to hang it and use as decorators) 

• Then transfer the cut out cookies carefully onto the lined baking trays. 
• After transferring the cookies onto the lined baking tray, place the tray in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 175°C (350 F) for 10 minutes. 
• After chilling, remove the tray from refrigerator and slide the tray into the center rack of the preheated oven. 
• Bake the cookies for 8 minutes at 175°C (350 F). (If your cookies are too thin then bake for 5-6 minutes)
• Meanwhile, unwrap the candies, separate them color-wise into individual plastic bags or ziplock bags and crush the candies using the rolling pin or meat tenderizer, set them aside.
• Now after 8 minutes, remove the cookie tray from the oven.
• Spoon small amount of crushed candies onto the center of the cookies inside the cutout holes. Do not load too much.
• Now slide the tray again into the oven and bake for another 5 minutes or just until the cookies start to brown on sides and the candies gets melted well. It will be bubbling at this stage. (If you take long to fill the cookies with candies then preheat the oven for 5 minutes before baking again)
• Now remove the tray from the oven and set aside until the cookies cool down completely. When done gently remove the cookies from the parchment paper or butter paper. 
• Then set the cookies aside for it to cool completely. Do not attempt to remove the cookies before they completely cool down. (Do the same with the rest of the dough and bake the cookies similarly)
• Store in airtight containers, use as decorators or gift wrap them. 

Cinnamon "Marshmallow" Squares

Joy of Baking is a great source of recipe archive for me. Not only that, the owner of the site took the trouble to provide videos for some of the recipes. That way, when you're not sure how things should look , you could just refer to the videos for guidance.

Marshmallow squares recipe is one which come with a video and so I feel confident enough to give this recipe a go. Despite the end result was so different from the photo and video, I am actually happy with the taste and texture.  The difference in result could be due to my decision to drastically reduced the sugar used as well as the inclusion of cinnamon powder; which resulted in the grainy appearance (not in texture though). I will definitely make this again!

Marshmallow Squares

shortbread base:

113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature

3 Tbsp light brown sugar (reduced to 2 Tbsp + 1/2 sachet vanilla sugar)

130 grams all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

++ Note : to add lemon zest next time.

Filling:

180 ml cold water

a scant tablespoon / 7 grams unflavored powdered gelatin

150 grams granulated white sugar (reduced to 120gm + 1 sachet of vanilla sugar)

1/8 teaspoon salt

85 gram powdered or icing sugar, sifted (reduced to 50gm)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

red food coloring (optional)

++ Note : added ground cinnamon together when adding powdered sugar

Garnish:

60 grams dried coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) (shredded or flaked)

Method:

shortbread:

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. 

2) Lightly butter, or spray with a non stick cooking spray, an 8 inch (20 cm) square baking pan.

 

3) In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until creamy and smooth. Add the brown sugar and beat until incorporated. Beat in the flour and salt until the mixture starts to form clumps. 

4) Press the dough evenly and firmly onto the bottom of the pan. Lightly prick the dough with the tines of a fork. 

5) Bake for about 20 minutes or until the shortbread is set and beginning to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.

Filling: 

1) Place the cold water in a saucepan and then sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let stand for five minutes or until the gelatin is swelled and spongy. 

2) Stir in the granulated white sugar and salt and place saucepan over medium heat. Heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin and sugar are dissolved and mixture is hot to the touch. Remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar. Let cool to room temperature.

3) When cool, pour into your mixing bowl, fitted with the whisk attachment, (can use a hand mixer) and beat until foamy. Add the baking powder, vanilla extract, and about 2 drops of red food coloring. Continue to beat on high speed until the mixture is very thick and holds stiff peaks. This will take about 10-15 minutes. 

4) Then pour the filling over the pre baked crust and smooth the top with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the top. Let stand for about 6-8 hours or until the marshmallow has set.

To serve, run a knife around the inside edge of the pan, and then cut into squares. The bars can be covered and stored at room temperature, or in the refrigerator, for up to five days. They can also be frozen.

Garnish: Place the coconut on a baking sheet and bake in a 325 degree F (165 degree C) oven for about 5-8 minutes or until the coconut is lightly brownied. Watch carefully and stir the coconut often as it bakes to prevent over browning.

Makes 16 Marshmallow Squares. Preparation time 45 minutes.

Check out: Original recipe + video

Shanghai Mooncake 上海月饼

Tomorrow, September 19, Chinese, Taiwanese and Vietnamese celebrate the the Mid-Autumn Festival . Traditionally the day is to celebrate the end of autumn harvest. You can read the legend of the festival from the link given and why moon cake is serve on the day.

There are many variations of moon cakes ; however, for a more manageable bake, I've chosen to try the Shanghai Moon cake. The traditional filling of lotus or bean paste has been replaced with poppy seed paste ; of which I think works well with the pastry. Give it a try!


Shanghai Mooncake
via :Simply Hanushi

Ingredients (Makes 4)
20 g icing sugar
6 g egg, lightly beaten
40 g butter, cubed
60 g plain flour
10 g custard powder (sub. with milk powder)
Some black sesame seeds / pumpkin seeds / melon seeds, for sprinkling

Filling
130 g ground poppy seed (traditionally it is lotus paste, but I couldn't make it in time)
 a little bit of milk
vanilla sugar, to taste
icing sugar, to taste
lemon zest

Method
1. Filling: Heat enough milk to turn ground poppy seed into paste, be careful not too wet. Once heated pour into ground poppy seed, mix in sugars and lemon zest. Mix well and divide into 4 portions and form into balls
2. Sift plain flour and custard powder together. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, sift icing sugar and add in egg and butter. Beat well till well-combined.
4. Add in the flour mixture slowly and knead into a soft dough. Divide into 4 portions of around 35 g.
5. Flatten a piece of dough into a round shape and wrap in a filling. Seal the edges to form into a ball.
6. Place the sealed ends facing downwards on a baking tray. Brush egg wash on the surface and sprinkle with some black sesame seeds / pumpkin seeds / melon seeds on top.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Salty shortbread

Salty Shortbread 

Source : No salty
Time : kneading + freeze 30 mins. + bake 20 mins. + rest 1 hour


Ingredients

For dough
200gm butter, melted - warm not hot!
100ml whipping cream
375gm plain flour
2 egg yolks
8gm salt

For Toppings
1 egg yolk, for egg wash
seeds of choice (sesame, poppy, sunflower) or
grated cheese

Method
1) In a bowl, combine salt and plain flour and set aside.
2) In another bowl, mix warm melted butter with whipping cream and egg yolks. Add in the flour/salt into wet mixture. Knead until just come together. Do not over knead!
3) Roll out dough to about 0.5 to 1cm thickness, depending on your liking. Place on a sheet and let it set in freezer for 30 mins.
4) When dough has been rested for 10 mins. Start pre-heating the oven at 200°c.
5) Remove dough from freezer after 30 mins. and let it defrost a little. Cut dough into desired shapes and sizes. Glaze with egg yolk, sprinkle with your choice of topping(s).
6) Bake in pre-heated oven for about 20 mins. or until golden brown and crispy.
7) Let it rest for at least 1 hour before serving.

Failed cake turned into Biscotti

Pineapple Tart

recipe coming soon..I need recall which recipe and filling did I use..

update 28/01/2015 :- another post on pineapple "tarts" is up

Oat Meal Cookies {with no butter}

 
When clearing the pantry, I found a jar of oat meal unused for quite some time. I thought using it to bake would be a nice change. Since I normally do not stock-up on butter, I needed a cookie recipe that doesn't include butter and what a great recipe I found on A Foodie Loves Company .!
I am pasting the whole recipe here. The only tweak I did was totally eliminate the  1 1/2 cups of sugar from the recipe and the result is definitely sweet enough for me .

No Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Adapted from: All Recipes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
cinnamon, to taste 
1/2 to 1 cup white or brown sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 1/2 cup oats
3/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 
2. Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar, and oats.  
3. Make a well in the center and add canola oil, eggs, and vanilla  
4. Mix together with a spatula. Form the dough into balls and place on cookie sheet slightly flattening them out  
5. Bake 10-12 minutes

Ischler Cookies

For this Christmas, I've written Ischler cookies in my baking list, thinking that I would use the recipe featured here before but then I came across this one from The Eccentric Cook . Hers look absolutely scrumptious, so I thought "why not give it a try?".
These turned out crumbly and nutty, just the way I (or we) like it! Since these cookies are better the longer you keep them, you could bake them few days before serving. Just keep in an air-tight container and store in a cool place.

Ischler Cookies
makes about 15 cookie sandwiches (or depending on the cutter you used)
source : http://theeccentriccook.blogspot.hu/2012/12/ischler-cookies.html

Hungarian Walnut Cookies {Diós Kifli}

Hungarian Walnut Cookies {Diós kifli} 
http://www.nosalty.hu/recept/mezeskalacs-kifli


Ingredients for 6 people
125 g of flour
50g ground hazelnuts or any ground nuts
50 g of  powdered sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100g butter, at room temperature
1 egg yolk pinch of salt

For coating
1 tsp ground cinnamon
125 g of powdered sugar

Method
1. Toast nuts in heated pan and grind finely. Mix the flour, sugar and ground cinnamon.
 2. Combine well, soften butter with pinch of salt and egg yolk . Add in dry ingredients to form a smooth dough. Wrapped dough in cling film and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
3. After dough rests in refridgerator for 1-2 hours, start pre-heating oven at 160 ° C.
4. Let dough sit for 5-10 mins. in room temperature after taken out from the refrigerator before working on it.
5. Shape dough into croissants shape, place on baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 10-15 mins.
6. Coating cookies by tossing in sugar-spice mixture when it is still hot.

Chocolate chip and raisins cookies

As much as I like chocolate chip cookies, I haven't tried baking them before this. Turns out, it is so easy to just bake it at home with just some basic pantry staples.

Chocolate chip & Raisins cookies

source : ohbin

Ingredients :

100g butter (room temperature)
80g caster sugar
1 egg *
170g flour (sifted)
1/2 tsp baking soda (sifted)
1/8 tsp salt

170g choc chips

60g walnuts (chopped into small pieces)**

* I've used only left over egg white, as a result, the cookies weren't yellow in colour. 

** Replace walnuts with raisins (soaked in milk for one hour prior to baking, just drain milk before putting into cookie mixture)

Method:
1) Pre-heat oven to 180°c
2) Mix butter + sugar until fluffy.

3) Crack in egg and mix
4) Mix in flour, baking soda and salt.

5) Put in choc chips and walnuts, mix a bit.
6) Put a tsp full of dough onto the baking tray (with baking sheet on it) and bake for 10-15mins

Apricot Butter Biscuits { Thumbprints cookies }

Apricot Butter Biscuits { Thumbprints cookies }

source : Orang Blossom Water


Ingredients
1 cup (226 g) butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar **will lessen sugar the next time
2 large eggs yolks
1 sachet vanilla sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
About 1/2 cup apricot jam
1/2 zest of lemon


Method :-
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed beat butter and sugar until smooth.
Add egg yolks and vanilla and beat until well blended. Mix in the lemon zest
Stir in flour and salt and beat just until dough comes together.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on buttered or cooking parchment lined 12 by 15 inch baking sheets. Press your thumb gently into the center of each cookie to make an indentation.
Bake cookies in a 325 °F (163 °C) oven until lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.
Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon jam into the center of each cooled cookie.

Isler (Ischler) Jam-filled cookies glazed with choclate

I visit and browse No Salty on daily basis, to bookmark recipes that interest me. On 23rd , day before eve of christmas , I've done all my christmas baking but then I found this Isler cookies on the main page and couldn't resist this simple recipe.

I've no idea why the name "Isler" (correction : Ischler) . All I know is that its list of ingredients and that it is sandwiched with jam is very similar to the Linzer cookies. Also, whenever we buy Linzer cookies at the bakery we tend to add a few Isler (Ischler) to the mix.

Isler Cookies
source : No Salty

Ingredients

For cookies

280 g flour
280 g unsalted butter, soften
150 g ground nuts ( I used a mix of walnuts and almonds)
140 g powdered sugar
1 Tbsp rum
a pinch of salt
For the filling
Jam of your choice
Glaze
200 g chocolate
Method
1) Cream soften butter with powdered sugar. Do not over-mix. Incorporate flour, ground nuts, pinch of salt and rum into the butter-sugar mixture until the whole thing come together. Chill in fridge for 1 hour.
2) After an hour, roll out the pastry until the thickness of 3 mm. Use round cookie cutter to cut pastry. Cut until all pastry are used. Baked for 10-12 mins at 175°c
3) Let cookies cooled. Meanwhile, melt chocolate to get ready for assembly.
4) Sandwich cookies with jam and glazed with melted chocolate.
5) Store cookies in a tin can and place in a cool place at least overnight, to allow the flavour to develop.

Own Notes

1) I'll roll the pastry thicker next time. Mine was a bit too thin when baked, making it too fragile to handle.
2) For a more even finish of glazed chocolate , I shall coat the whole of top piece with chocolate next time by either pouring the melted chocolate over it or submerging into melted chocolate instead of spreading on top.

Walnut cookies

Chinese new year is fast approaching, this year falling on valentine's day! This cookie is one of the must treats during the festive season. Coarsely ground peanuts are the main ingredients ; however, I have substituted it with left over ground walnut which worked out fine .

Recipe from here

Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

It was nearly 10pm when I'm finally free to bake ...

First "oops!" - accidentally used baking powder instead of baking soda.
I didn't know what the effect would be ..what's the difference anyway? Luckily it didnt show any side effect . Now that I have read the difference, let me link here for you ;)

Second "oops!" - when I tried to cut it after 20 mins of baking. Some small bits crumbled and the shape was all wrong !

Despite the mess, it tasted pretty good!! I'll be making it again for sure. Thought of a trick to avoid the crumbling next time. We will see how'd that turn out.

Oh, get recipe here.

Howdy!

Say hi! to my bangkit bears :)

Yes, those cuties are kuih bangkit ; a type of chinese cookies made from tapioca flour. Auchan was having a chinese kitchen promotion and brought in lots of ingredients which normally not available on their shelves. We made a trip there last weekend so that I could finally stock sesame oil and hoisin sauce...woohoo! Then I was ecstatic when I saw tapioca flour!!! Got to have 'em , don't know what to do with them (never used it before *blush*) , but got to have it!

Next, of course the drill is to search for a recipe. Found quite a number of interesting use for the flour; however, I think the one from Little Corner Of Mine was the easiest, plus she had included useful tips to obtain the right texture for the cookies.

The tips work superbly! The slightly browned base gives a smokey (not burnt!) taste first when popped into the mouth and it just melts in the mouth ...mmmm . How fun to see the initially skinny bears gained weight (raised) after coming out of the oven :D

Peanut cookies

Lately, all I could think about is food!! It doesnt help that there're so many food blogs offering easy recipes. Like this peanut cookies, preparation took me about 30 mins. only.

The first batch was burnt but guess what? I ate the not-too-burnt ones and I'm hooked! So, I baked it again the next day since it's doesnt require too many ingredients and its ready in a jiffy.

.

Verdict : One by one they melt in the mouth..oh, very addictive! You should really try it :)

.

Note : First trial the cookies weren't sweet enough. So, i've increased to 1/3 cup of sugar following the recipe of the link below

.

Peanuts cookies click here for recipe

source : Little corner of mine


(A)
1 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour/ plain flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
(B)
1/4 cup sugar (or icing sugar for more melt in the mouth texture)
80g ground coarsed roasted/toasted peanuts
(C)
1/3 cup + 2 Tbp. canola oil

1 egg, beaten for egg wash

Method:

1. Sift (A) into a bowl.
2. Add (B), mix well.
3. Add (C), stir with a fork, the mixture will be crumbly.
4. Use your hands, scoop up the mixture and press it into balls. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
5. Glaze the peanut cookies with egg wash.
6. Bake at preheated 350'F oven for 20 minutes.