Almond Cookies

The only Chinese-ish cookies I had time to make this Chinese New Year.

Recipe from a friend, with my edits below:

Ingredients:
400g ground almond (I used 500g)
300g whole wheat flour
100g all-purpose flour
200g castor sugar (Or: 100g castor, 50g brown/cane)
1/8 tsp table salt or 1/4 tsp sea/mountain salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
100g cold butter, cubed
1 cup vegetable oil - rice bran oil if available
1 egg white, beaten, for glazing
Optional: 1/4 tsp cardamom (did not use this)

Directions:
1. Mix flours, sugars, salt, baking soda in mixing bowl. Rub in butter cubes until resembling bread crumbs (Shortcut: pulse in blender.). Mix in ground almond.
2. Drizzle 1/2 cup oil evenly, mix thoroughly. Add oil sparingly until just enough that mixture can hold its shape.
3. Stand for 10 minutes.
4. Shape mixture into desired shape and size. Brush lightly with egg white.
5. Line baking tray with baking sheet and bake at 150 C for 20-25 minutes.
6. Cool on rack and store in airtight container.

Notes:
Recipe rating: 4/5 A big hit at home, mainly because they taste pretty healthy.
Difficulty: Easy, but time consuming, about 3-4 hours per batch
Comments: Use less sugar next time, cookies were a bit too sweet

Pizza @ home

Before baking.

After baking.
Pasta sauce, musrooms, sundried tomatoes, bacon, olives, CHEEZEEEE...

Pizza dough recipe link

Total time: Approximately 1 hour
Comments: Roll dough as thinly as possible for crispy crust, it kind of springs back again. And as tempting as it is to do so, do not pile on too many toppings!!! Lesson learnt from soggy pizza the second time I made this recipe.

Profile description change.

When I first started my blog as a university student in 2004:

I love to bake, hate to cook. I insist that they are two entirely different things. But I hardly have time to bake now. Sigh.

October, 2011:

Still love to bake, am now discovering the joys of cooking. Wish I had the time to do more of both.

I've grown. *proud*

Walnut+Pecan Cookies

My last post was in 2008? Stating the obvious, it's been too long.

Saying that I stare at a monitor and write the whole day long, would just be an excuse. So instead I'll just carry on where I left off. Er, while trying a new, hopefully faster rating format.

Sooo... Walnut+Pecan cookies.

Recipe link

Total time: Approximately 2 hours
Comments: Filling is yummy, but cookie dough is hard to handle.

Notes:

- Texture of cookies: Soft

- Wasn't mentioned in the recipe, but I got about 50 cookies.

- The raw cookie dough was too soft and not as easy to shape into balls as I expected. And getting an imprint on it with my fingers was not easy at all. Might try refrigerating it next time.

- The filling was nowhere near enough. In the end I used:1 cup of chopped pecans, 1 cup of chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, 3/4 cup whipping cream and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.

Thank You...

for all the sweet comments and good luck wishes folks! So sorry I can't reply everyone individually. But thank you =)

Don't worry I'm still around and will be back blogging soon.

One more week!

Kisses.

I Must Be Getting Stressed.

Finals in less than two weeks. *SIGHS*

I'm quite sure I've mentioned this before, but stress gives me an irresistable urge to bake. Well pretty much any surge of emotion; excessive boredom, extreme anger or hyperness or happiness drives me to baking too. Any excuse to bake really. But right now I'm very very sure it's stress. Heh.

This was my Friday evening:
I suddenly felt a need for a chocolate fix and thus,

Dark Chocolate Brownies.

After that was done and cooling, my baking itch wasn't satisfied. And so I went on to make

Apple Crumb Cake (recipe here)

Sheesh. At least when I channel my stress other people get food.

Arrghhhhhhh!!!!!!

Basic Vanilla Cupcakes

Ok, so I've once again been neglecting my poor blog. Assignment and exam season is upon me.

This recipe for cupcakes can’t get any easier. Feel free to play around with the flavours, substitute the vanilla pod and vanilla extract with coffee, chocolate, chocolate chunks, orange and lemon zest, different toppings, the list is endless! I know I’ve come up with some gems through throwing in different things.

Ingredients:
125g butter, softened
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
125g self-raising flour

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Line cupcake tray with cupcake papers.
2. Beat butter, sugar, vanilla and vanilla extract till light and fluffy.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix till smooth and creamy.
4. Fill cupcake papers till two-thirds full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or till tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.

Decorate cupcakes however you like they pretty much go with anything, though they’re also really delicious on their own.

Btw, I really like my pink cupcake papers.
So bright and cheerful =D

When I'm not baking.

We all need some random in our lives.

Like photo-taking at 1 in the morning in pjs.

Empty laundry room.

I spy...

A really big empty steel drum.

(or whatever the insides of washing machines are made of)

Practising the art of escapism.

On random photo shoots,

always bring along an equally insane partner-in-crime.

Someone has to take the photos =P

Emo moments.




Blurry.






Savouring my moment in the spotlight.



That's all folks.







Well maybe just one more.
The crazy woman trapped in a box photo.


And now I'm done making a fool of myself.

To my dear Papa.

Happy Birthday!

You're now half a century old.

(But still young at heart)

A big celebration requires a big celebatory cake.

And even though I can't spend your birthday with you,

the housemates and I had cake to mark the occasion.

(They wish you happy birthday btw.)

It was a very tasty cheesecake.

Missing you lots, but I'll be home soon.

Happy 50th Birthday!!!

With love,
Your Daughter

Bigger IS Better...

... when it involves Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Yum.

Count the Chocolate Chips.

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:
140g butter
130g sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
200g plain flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder
150g plain chocolate chips
150g white chocolate chips.


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 180C/170C fan forced. Line baking sheets with baking paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla, mix well.
3. Sift in flour and baking powder, mix until combined, do not overmix. Add in chocolate chips and stir till evenly distributed.
5. Drop rounded heaped tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until a nice golden brown. Remove from oven and leave cookis on the sheet for a few minutes to set, and then cool completely on a wire rack. The cookies will harden as they cool.

Easter Snow Sunday.

Happy Easter Everyone!

I know I'm pretty late but I have a good excuse. Will elaborate further down the post.

Anyway here's my Easter contribution.

Orange Dark Choc Chunk Cupcakes with

Chocolate Buttercream topped with

overly sweet sugar eggs.

Jia En loves the Orange Dark Choc Chunk Cupcakes.
I do too.

My decorating still needs work.

And I still adore this straw bunny.

Anyway, the reason why I'm writing my Easter post so late.

Meet the new man in my life.

Hmm well maybe not man.
Snow man/woman/person? Hmm...

Labour of love.

Ahhh. Snow. Bliss.


A happy Easter indeed.

Easter approaches...

Chocolate eggs are everywhere!!!! *Drools undignifiedly*

I adore this straw bunny.

Personalised eggs at Thorntons.

At the local Sainsburys.

Toblerone Egg.. I want thee...

Happy (belated) Birthday Mun Mun!

I know, I know, I've been an absolute bum about blogging lately. Baking's more interesting.

That and I have my uh, other addictions. =P

Anyway, the photo below says it all.

Choc Dark-Choc Chunk Cupcakes
and
Orange Dark-Choc Chunk Cupcakes.

Hope you had a wonderful time dear!

I spy... PIE!!!

MY VERY FIRST PIE MADE FROM SCRATCH!
CRUST AND EVERYTHING!
WHOO!

And now I shall bombard you with pictures of pie.

Ok so maybe it's not the most perfect-looking pie.

But I think it's a pretty good success for a first attempt.

And it is pretty!

I will aim my rolling pin at anyone who says otherwise.

I would aim the pie, but it tastes too good.

Unbaked pie.

And if I want to nitpick, the pie is actually a tart.
A French Apple and Almond tart, according to the recipe.
But I choose to call it my fist pie for now.

Pies are meant to be eaten.

After being admired.
Have I mentioned that this Particular Pretty Pie Pleases me?
Ran out of Ps. Too tired to think now.
Am also starting to sound lame.
Stop gushing about your pie, woman!

And this folks, is another example of how telivision influences me. Been watching too much Pushing Daisies lately. Its a series about a pie-maker who can bring dead people back to life. But only for a minute without consequence. Good stuff.

Damn good looking pies too.

For the kids of all ages.

Because no sane peson, young or old, can resist a batch of gigantic, colourful cookies.

They're just fun!

Giant M&M cookie recipe.

Ingredients:
125g butter, softened
140g golden caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
200g self-raising flour
150g m&ms (approximately, add more if you like, I usually do. Bright colours make me happy =D)


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 190C/170C fan-forced. Line cookie sheets with baking paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract, mix well. Mix in flour. Toss in m&ms and stir till they're evenly distributed throughout the dough.
3. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough well spaced apart on baking sheets. they will spread to about double that size during baking.
4. Bake cookies for about 10-15 minutes, till they're a light golden brown. Don't worry if they seem slightly soft when they come out of the oven they should harden upon cooling. And this is a large, soft cookie anyway.
5. Leave cookies to cool on baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Colourful cookies bring out the kid in everyone.
University students included.