Lemon Strawberry Pop Cookies

I wanted to bake some cookies for a group of teenagers, but it would be so boring to be just cookies, so since there are pop cakes, why not pop cookies? How does lemon and strawberry cookies sound? They'll be lovely, won't they?

(Makes about 20 6.5 cm cookies)

For the cookies base

300g all purpose flour

250g caster sugar

200g coarse cornmeal

250g unsalted butter (room temperature)

4 egg yolks

For the lemon cookies

Zest of 1 lemon

For the strawberry cookies

1tsp strawberry emulsion

Strawberry jam to assemble the cookies

1. Preheat the oven at 160 degrees. Whisk the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (I used a hand whisk.)

2. Add the egg yolks and whisk to combine.

3. Sift the flour and cornmeal into the mixture.

4. Measure half the dough out and add in the zest. Mix to combine. Wrap in a cling foil and fridge for about 30 min.

5. Add a teaspoon of the strawberry emulsion to the other half of the dough and mix to combine. Wrap in a cling foil and fridge for about 30 min.

6. Roll out the dough into 1 cm thick and use a 6.5 cm cutter to cut out the cookie rounds.

7. Cut smaller rounds using a smaller cutter for half the 6.5 cm cut out. (I used a cupcake corer.)

8. Press an ice-cream stick lightly into half the dough without the middle cut out.

9. Press the other flavoured dough with the middle cut lightly on top. Spoon a dollop of strawberry jam into the middle cut out.

10. Press the small round to covered the cut out.

11. Do the same for the rest of the dough and you will get 2 flavoured cookies. 

12. Bake in a 160 degrees oven for 30 minutes or till lightly brown.

They're pretty, aren't they? And the girls loved the cookies. :)

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

Vanilla Buttercream Almond Cake

I had leftover buttercream from the birthday cake baked earlier and my resolution is to reduce wastage, so I decided to bake individual almond cakes and use up those buttercream. 

(If you're planning to make this, the buttercream recipe is below, an estimate of half the amount needed for the birthday cake.)

(Makes four 6.5cm individual round)

For the cake

100g caster sugar

80g cake flour

50g ground almond

70g melted unsalted butter

50g sliced almond

2 eggs

1tsp vanilla extract

0.5tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

For the buttercream

100g butter (room temperature)

290g icing sugar

0.5tsp vanilla extract 

0.5tbsp hot water 

1. Preheat the oven at 170 degrees and line a 23cm by 33cm Swiss roll tray. Soft flour and baking powder and set aside.

2. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl with the salt and vanilla extract.

3. Whisk and combine till colour lightens. (I used hand whisk.)

4. Add the sugar gradually and whisk till colour lightens. 

5. Fold in the flour and ground almond with the egg mixture toll combinesd.

6. Fold the melted butter into the mix.

7. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tray and sprinkle sliced almond on top. 

8. Bake in preheated oven of 170 degrees for 25 minutes and allow the cake to cool completely. 

 

9. Cut into 6.5cm rounds. 

10. Use the buttercream to layer 3 rounds together. Roughly coat the cake with the first layer of cream and leave in the fridge for at least 30 min.

11. Cover the cake all over with a second layer of buttercream. Dip your palette knife in hot water, dry it with kitchen paper and run the palatte knife along the side to neaten the buttercream. Keep dipping, drying and smoothening. The sides will become soon in no time.

12. Drizzle chocolate over the cake as decoration. 

Pardon my messy piping.-.-

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 NIV)

Christmas Fruit Soak

Tis the season to be jolly! Christmas' just round the corner and it's time to prepare for annual fruit cake bake. First, soak the fruits. I'm making fruit cakes with 2 different fruit soaks. Which will be better? Shall update after we've tasted both cakes. 

Recipe 1

270g raisins

300g sultanas

130g cranberries

80g dried ginger

70g dried apricots

60g mixed peel

Zest and juice of 1 orange

55g caster sugar

170ml cherry brandy

Recipe 2

200g cranberries

200g sultanas

200g raisins

125g currants

100g apricots

60g mixed peel

45g candied ginger 

55ml Orange juice (I used ready ones) 

1 cinnamon stick 

170ml drambuie (spiced whisky)

*Both recipes use the same method*

1. Mix all the fruits together in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the zest and a stick of cinnamon. (I'm doing 2 portions)

3. Measure out the brandy. (You can use rum too.)

4. Dissolve the sugar in about 110ml of Orange juice by heating over low heat, do not boil. Add the orange juice to the alcohol. 

5. Pour the alcohol mix to the fruit mix and mix well. 

6. Store in a large container, stirring everyday till ready to use. Soak for at least a week and up to 6 weeks.

Looking forward to baking the fruit cake soon! 

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 NIV)

Pate Sablee

Pate Sablee or French shortcrust pastry is very versatile and can be used for making the base of tarts and pies. I used Anna Olson's recipe and this dough can be made way in advance and can be frozen for up to three months. I needed to use up 3 egg yolks, so I made 3 portions, the recipe given is for 1 portion.

142g unsalted butter at room temperature

74g icing sugar

228g cake flour (I used plain flour)

1 hard boiled egg yolk

1 raw egg yolk

0.5 tsp vanilla extract

0.25 tsp salt

I forgot to take pictures again.

1. Cream butter and icing sugar together until smooth.

2. Push the cooked egg yolk through a sieve and add the raw egg yolk, salt and vanilla extract to it, stirring till combined.

3. Add this mixture to the butter mix and stir well.

4. Add the flour to the above mix and stir well. Not not overwork the dough. The dough will be very wet.

5. Roll the dough into a disk, wrap with cling wrap and fridge for at least 2 hours before use or freeze the dough for up to 3 months.

I made 3 portions, to be used over 3 months, time to think of tart bakes! :)

Vanilla Buttercream Birthday Cake

So it's my brother-in-law's birthday and what better excuse to bake a birthday cake with a wow factor. Recipe taken from thepinkwhisk, here's my version of the cake. 

Makes two layered 8 inches cake

For the cake

375g self raising flour

375g caster sugar

375g unsalted butter (room temperature)

6 eggs

1tsp vanilla extract 

2tbsp strawberry jam

For the buttercream

200g butter (room temperature)

400g icing sugar

1tsp vanilla extract 

1tbsp hot water 

For chocolate ganache

100ml - 150ml double cream

125g dark chocolate

To make the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line the bottom of two 8 inches round cake tins. 

2. Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Then add the eggs, one at a time, making sure the eggs are fully incorporated before adding another egg. 

3. Add the vanilla extract and then sift the flour into the mixture. 

4. Fold the flour into the butter mix till fully incorporated. 

5. Pour the cake mix into the 2 prepared tins equally.  

6. Bake at 180 degrees for about 40 minutes, checking whether the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer into the middle of the cake. The cake is cooked if the skewer comes out clean. 

7. Cool the cakes completely before assembling. 

To make the buttercream

8. Cream butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract together until combined. 

9. Add a tablespoon of hot water to make it spreadable. Set aside till needed. 

To assemble 

10. Once the cakes are cooled, level the cakes by cutting the top of the cakes so they sit nicely on each other. 

11. Spread strawberry jam on top of the bottom layer and place the second layer on top.

12. Wrap them in a cling wrap and fridge for about an hour. 

13. Cover the cake with a first layer of buttercream. At this point, just roughly cover and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes. The second layer will go on easier once the first layer is set. 

14. Cover the cake all over with a second layer of buttercream. Dip your palette knife in hot water, dry it with kitchen paper and run the palatte knife along the side to neaten the buttercream. Keep dipping, drying and smoothening. The sides will become soon in no time.

15. The top need not be too neat because a layer of ganache will cover any imperfections. 

To make the ganache 

16. Heat the double cream till it is just about to boil, pour into the chocolate, allow to sit a minute and stir to melt the chocolate into the double cream.

(Mine was too watery (200ml cream) so reduce the cream to 100 or 150ml) 

17. Cut the chocolate decorations into bite size. (I used Maltese, Kitkat and Mars bars)

18. Pour the chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, allowing the chocolate to flow down the sides of the cake.

19. Decorate with the chocolate decorations. 

There! The family loves the cake and I love it too! 

I had a baking companion today and she baked fruit cake! Shall feature the recipe if her verdict is good. :)