Melting Moments

Iam back after a loooong break!!I was tied up with work and other things.

Its always good to be back in blogosphere...Hope you guys are doing great!

I made these cookies long time before...They were so good.

Recipe courtesy:Joy of baking

Ingredients:

Allpurpose flour - 1 1/2 cup

Corn Starch - 1/2 cup

Butter - 1 cup softened at room temperature

Icing sugar - 1/4 cup to mix in and another 1/2 cup for topping

I made my own by grinding regular sugar in blender.

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Method:

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt. 

 

In the bowl , beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. 

Cover and refrigerate the batter for an hour or two, or until firm. 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

When batter is firm, form into 1 inch balls and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake for about 10 - 14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies just start to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 3-5 minutes.

 Transfer the cookies to a wire rack that is placed over a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Put the confectioners sugar in a fine strainer or sieve and sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the sugar.

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Butter cookies

This is a recipe of Sara Moulton.They tasted so good and just melted in mouth.

It requires only few ingredients.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 2 cups

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Sugar - 1 cup

Unsalted Butter softened at room temperature - 3/4 cup(1 1/2 sticks)

Vanilla extract -1/2 tsp 

Egg - 1 at room temperature.

Method:

Whisk together flour,baking powder and salt in a bowl.

In another bowl beat the sugar and softened butter until it becomes pale and fluffy.

Now add the egg,vanilla to butter-sugar mixture and beat for about 2 minutes.

Finally add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

In a parchment paper,roll the dough into a 12 inch log.Wrap it and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hrs.The original recipe calls for chilling the dough for 4 hrs.But mine was firm in about 2 hrs.

Take the dough out and slice into 1/4 inch  wide discs.

Place the discs in a parchment-lined tray spacing them about 1 inch apart.

Bake them for about 12 minutes switching tray positions halfway through baking.The cookies are done when they are light golden around the edges.

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Neiman Marcus cookies

Weird name for a cookie,isn't it??If you haven't heard of the (in)famous cookie hoax email,then read this.
There are so many recipes of NM cookie all over the webworld.But I tried the recipe found in the Neiman Marcus website.The addition of espresso powder definetely is a treat for coffee lovers.

I made a few changes.I increased the amount of espresso coffee powder to 2tsp instead of  1 1/2 tsp because I wanted the espresso to dominate.
I reduced the baking time to 15 from 20 minutes but still  my cookies were crunchy.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder

1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
 
 
Method:
 
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds)
Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.
In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.

 Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle. Bake for about 15 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges.

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Chocolate and white chocolate chip cookies

Iam on a baking spree nowadays.I made this batch of chocolate with white chocolate chip cookies during the winter break of my son.
Ive always loved eating white chocolate over the normal  dark chocolate because it is creamier and  the taste is somewhat intense..But its is a pity that white chocolate are not officially chocolates since they do not contain chocolate liquor.They are  made up of cocoa butter and sugar.
Recipe courtesy : JoyofBaking

Ingredients:

Allpurpose Flour -  1 cup

Cocoa Powder - 1/4 cup

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Large egg - 1

Unsalted Butter softened at room temperature - 1/2 cup(1 stick)

Sugar - 1/4 cup

Light brown sugar - 1/2 cup

Salt - 1/8 tsp

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

White chocolate chunks or chips - 1 1/2 cup


Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. First sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt and then add to the butter and egg mixture. Mix just until incorporated. Fold in the the chocolate chips.
Using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons , place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.



Bake for approximately 8 minutes or until the the cookies are still soft in the center but are firm around the edges.



Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes about 24 - 3 inch round cookies.

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Back to blogging with Cakey chocolate chip cookies

Iam back after a long break.My lil one's keeping me busy:).Cant beleive my baby is 2 months already.
Its really tough juggling between the two boys.But I love and enjoy ecah and every moment.

My elder one loves anything which has chocolate in it.Chocolate chip cookies are his favourite.

This recipe is taken from Martha Stewart's Cookies book.These cookies are little bit chewy.I personally dont like the thin and crispy cookies.So I decided to try these.They turned out to be chewy and soft in the middle and slightly crisp on th edges.It incorporated less butter too.

Ingredients:

All pupose flour - 2 1/4 cups

Baking soda -  1/2 tsp

Unsalted butter - 1 3/4  sticks(at room temperature)

Sugar - 3/4 cup

Light brown sugar - 1/4 cup(packed)

Salt - 1tsp

Vanilla Extract - 2tsp

Large eggs - 2

Semisweet chocolate chips - 2 cups

I used 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 cup of Butterscotch chips.


Method:

Preheat oven to 350 def F.Whisk together flour and baking soda in a bowl.
Put butter and both sugars in the bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy.
Add salt,vanilla and eggs and mix until combined.
Add flour mixture  and mix until just combined.Stir in chocoate and butterscotch chips.
Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper,spacing 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies until centers are set and edges are golden,10 to 12 minutes,rotating sheets halfway through.
Let cool on baking sheets 2 minutes.



Transfer cookies to wire racks;let cool completely.

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Fruit mix cookies

I had a packet of Fruit trail mix.Actually my plan was to bake a fruit cake and I postponed it and ended up making fruit cookies..I browsed soooo many recipes on the internet and came up with this one..my own version :)


Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cup

Softened Butter - 1/2 cup(at room temperature)

Light brown sugar - 1/4 cup

sugar-1/4 cup

baking soda - 1/2 tsp

baking powder - 1/2 tsp

vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Egg - 1

Dried fruits - 3/4 cup(I used archer farms fruit trail mix which had dried cranberries,papaya,golden raisins,cherries)



Method:


Preheat the oven to 350 def F.Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.


In a wide bowl,cream the butter and both brown sugar and regular sugar into a smooth paste.Add the vanilla essence and egg into it.Beat the egg until creamy.

Then add the allpurpose flour along with baking soda and baking powder into the wet ingredients.

Stir until the dry ingredients incorporate well into the wet ingredients.

Finally,gently mix the roughly chopped dry fruits into the mixture.

Now scoop 1 tbsp of cookie dough into the prepared pan leaving about 2 inches space between them.

Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies turn slightly brown on the edges.

Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes.

Store in air-tight container.

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Chocolate chip cookies

Ive tried so many recipes of the chocolate chip cookies from the internet.This one is the best.I found this recipe in  Baking bits .It had straw berries in it.I omitted it and halved the recipe and made some changes according to my taste.This is definitely a keeper.
It does not spread out so much and it is chewy and not very crisp.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 1/4 cup
White sugar - 1/4 cup
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
Semisweet chocolate chips - 3/4 cup(or 1 cup if you want chocolate chips more )
Baking soda - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Butter - 1/2 cup(softened at room temperarture)
Egg - 1
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 def F.Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl,add the allpupose flour,baking soda and salt and mix well.
In another large mixing bowl,cream the butter,white sugar and brown sugar until it is very soft.
Then crack the egg into the sugar-butter mixture and beat until the egg is fully incorporated.
Stir in vanilla essence.
Then slowly mix the dry ingredients with this wet mixture and finally add the chocolate chips.
Drop 1 table spoonful of the dough into the baking sheet leaving 1 1/2 inch space between them.
Bake for 12 minutes until the cookies begin to brown .This way the cookies will be slightly crisp on the edges and chewy on the inside.
Cool for 2minutes in the baking sheet and transfer them to a wire rack.

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Palmiers

Palmiers(palm-YAY) also called palm leaves or elephant ears cookie are made of puff pastry sheets sprinkled with sugar.These crispy,melt-in –the- mouth heart shaped cookies are just perfect with a hot cup of coffee.

These are similar to Britannia little hearts biscuits available in India.I never knew that these cookies are very simple to make until I stumbled upon this recipe in the epicurious website.

I made some variations.

Ingredients:

1 sheet – puff pastry (I used Pepperidge Farms brand)

1 cup – sugar

2tbsp – ghee

2 sheets – parchment paper

Method:

Thaw the puff pastry sheets for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven at 400 degree F

In work surface sprinkle a little bit of flour.Roll the puff pastry to about 10 inches lengthwise.

Sprinkle the surface of the pastry with ½ cup of sugar.Now gently roll the sheet with a rolling pin.Then flip the pastry sheet.Now sprinkle the other side with ½ cup of sugar and roll the side gently.

Now mark(not cut) the center of the pastry sheet.

You will have 2 equal sides.Now start folding from the left side of the sheet into equal parts until you reach the center.

Then repeat the same procedure starting from the right side of the sheet.

Now you will have both the sides folded up to the center.

Finally fold both ends like you close a book.

Wrap the log in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hr.

Then cut the log into ½ inch pieces.Line a cookie sheet with the parchment paper.

Now dip the top of the pieces in water and then dip in sugar.

Smear a little bit of ghee on top of each palmier for rich flavour.

Arrange them on the the cookie sheet with the cut side down,1 inch apart.Bake for 5minutes and then check whether the bottom of the cookies are slightly brown.

Then turn over the cookies and bake for another 4 minutes till the top is slightly caramelized.Keep on checking the cookies because they are easily burnt.

Here is the picture of step-by-step procedure for making the palmiers

Iam sending this to Bindiya's LOVE-HEART SHAPED FOODS event

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Jam Drops

This is an eggless cookie recipe published in the book "Complete Cookies, Muffins & Cakes"
Published by Murdoch Books.I made some changes according to my taste.

Ingredients:

7 1/2 tbsp - unsalted softened (at room temperature)butter

1/3 cup - sugar

2tbsp - milk

1 tbsp - cardamom powder(The original recipe uses 1/2 tsp vanilla essence)

1cup - selfrising flour

I used all purpose flour.So I added 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 baking powder along with the all purpose flour.

1/3 cup - plain custard powder(I used bird's eye view brand)

1/3 cup - strawberry jam(you can use any other flavour if you like)

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy.

Add the milk and cardamom powder and mix well.

Add the sifted flour and custard powder and mix to form a soft dough.If you feel the dough is not soft enough you can add another tablespoon of milk.

Make small balls of the dough and place on the cookie sheet.

Make an indentation on each ball with your thumb.Fill each hole with a little bit of jam.

Bake for about 10 minutes.Cool on a wire rack and store in air tight containers.

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