Osmanthus Cookies Recipes

CNY is just around the corner and I see a lot of cookies popping up from fellow blogger’s blogs. It is making me very nervous as I’ve just started to bake mine. This is the very first cookie that I made for CNY using dried Osmanthus flowers. I only used the Osmanthus once to cook this chicken dish and I still have a big jar of it. I think the Osmanthus gives a really nice fragrant to the cookies and it is just the perfect fit for CNY celebration. If you’re looking for something different to bake for the CNY I hope you will try this out. I am submitting this cookie to Aspiring-Bakers # 3 My Favourite CNY Cookies hosted by j3ss kitch3n .

Ingredients:

180 gram unsalted butter – room temperature
140 gram icing sugar
1 egg yolk
260 gram flour
40 gram cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp dried Osmanthus flowers
1 egg – for egg wash

1. Sieve flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt together. Set it aside. Get ready a sheet pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. Beat sugar and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolk and continue to beat until combined. Add in the osmanthus flowers. Mix well.
3. Lower down the speed of the mixer and slowly add in the flour mixture until the dough comes together.
4. Transfer the dough to a work surface that is lightly floured, roll out the dough to about ¼”, cut into desired shapes and transfer it to the baking sheet.
5. Brush the top of the cookies with egg wash and bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven until the edges are lightly brown. Transfer to cooling rack and store in an airtight container when it is cool.

Note: If the dough is too soft, wrap it up and let it rest in the fridge for an hour before rolling it out.

Cranberry Orange Walnut Cake Recipes

There is abundance of fresh cranberries in the market now and I just bought a big packet without knowing what to do with it. It has been sitting in the fridge for nearly two weeks until I finally used it to bake some cakes to be given away as Christmas gift with the cookies. The orange juice and the zest in the cake compliment the cranberries very nicely. The fresh cranberries are tart and refreshing, while the cake is sweet. This loaf will be great for breakfast, afternoon tea especially during the holiday season.

Ingredients:

1 stick/113 gram soft butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp of orange zest
½ cup orange juice
½ cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
½ cup walnuts – toasted and chopped

Glaze:

½ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

1. Line and greased a large loaf pan or two medium size loaf pans. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F. Shift the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and set it aside. Combined the orange juice and sour cream. Mix well and set it aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy for 5-6 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time and beating continuously until well incorporated. Slow down the speed of the mixer and slowly add in the flour in 3 batches alternating with the orange juice – sour cream mixture. The last edition should be the flour. Do not over mix.
3. Stop the machines, using a spatula fold in the fresh cranberries and walnuts. Mix well. Pour into the baking pan and bake for 55 – 65 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let it rest on the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out on the cooling pan.
4. Let it cool completely. Combined the glaze ingredients and spread it over the top of the cake. Cut and serve.

Note: This cake improves in texture and taste after a day or two.

Sugar Cookies/Christmas Wishes Recipes

I baked these sugar cookies at the very last minutes for my nephew Eu-Xin in Malaysia. My friend is going back end of this month and she is taking these back for me. Thank you so much Choy and I am sure my nephew will be very grateful. I am not good at frosting it and in fact this is the first time I am doing sugar cookies. I hope I will do a better job the next time when I have more time to decorate it.

Ingredients:

1 stick/113 gram butter
¾ cup sugar
2 cups flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla
2 tbsp milk

1. Prepare and line baking sheet pan with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder and salt and set it aside.
2. Cream soft butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Slow down the mixer and slowly add in the flour in two batches. Mix until just combined.
3. Transfer the dough to a work surface. Shape into two discs, wrap the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for an hour.
4. Pre-heat oven to 350 degree F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to 1/8” thickness. Cut into desired shape and transfer to baking sheets pan, leaving an inch in between.
5. Bake until lightly golden, about 12-15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
6. Decorate with Royal Icing if desired.

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #2: Christmas! (Dec 2010) hosted by Passionate About Baking

To my family, friends and blog readers

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,

The gladness of Christmas give you hope

And the warmth of Christmas grants you love and joy.

Have a Blessed Christmas and A Happy New Year Everyone!!

Coconut Cookies Recipes

It has been a long busy week for me. I have been baking non-stop for the past 5 days. There were dozens and dozens of cookies being baked and tons of butter, sugar, flour and eggs used. I am so glad that I am finally done with it and it is going to some happy recipients before Christmas. The cookies I baked are mostly repeats like Walnut Cookies/Hup Toh Sow, Macadamia Chocolate Chips, Festive Meringue Kisses and this Coconut Cookies. Do come back for the Macadamia Chocoloate Chips cookies recipe later.

Ingredients:

250 grm flour
40 grm cornstarch
½ tsp salt
70 grm of dried coconut
180 grm soft butter
130 grm sugar
½ tsp vanilla

1. In a mixing bowl, sift flour, cornstarch and salt together and set it aside. Mix in the dried coconut. Line two baking sheet with some parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar until well combined and light. Add in the vanilla and mix well. Fold in the flour mixture and mix well.
3. Roll the cookie dough into a small balls, arrange on the baking sheet and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 20-25 min or until lightly brown. Cool down completely before storing it in airtight containers.

Note: If the dough is too soft to handle, let it rest in the fridge for half an hour before shaping it.

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #2: Christmas! (Dec 2010) hosted by Passionate About Baking

Festive Meringue Kisses Recipes

Christmas is just around the corner and it is time to do some baking. Like usual I will have to bake 3-4 types of cookies to be given away to friends, neighbors, mailman and a few others. This is the first time I am baking meringue kisses because I am not a fan of it as I find it to be a bit too sweet for my taste. This cookie is not difficult to make but it took a long time to bake so you have to be very patience. Baking it low and slow is the key to a perfect crispy and light kisses. It took me over 3 hours to bake these whole lots cookies.

Ingredients:

5 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp vanilla
Some red and green coloring

1. Prepare 2 large baking sheet pans, line it with parchment paper. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degree F.
2. In an electric mixer beat egg white and cream of tartar for 30 second over high speed. Gradually add in the sugar and vanilla. Beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks.
3. Using a small spatula paint a red and green stripes inside the pastry bag fitted with star shapes piping tip. Fill the bag with meringue. Pipe small star shapes onto the baking sheet.
4. Refill bag as necessary, adding food coloring each time. Bake cookies rotating halfway through until crisp but not brown about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
5. Let it cool completely on wire rack before storing it in an air tight container.

Note: You can change it to other flavors like lemon, peppermint, coffee, chocolate, strawberry, etc.

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #2: Christmas! (Dec 2010) hosted by Passionate About Baking .

Savory Christmas/Holiday Pie Recipes

Have no clue what to make for your New Year Party? How about making this pie? I love making savory pie and this is an easy, quiche-like pie that I prepared for our Christmas. The colorful peppers and spring onions make this pie look really festive and Christmassy. This pie can also be made into bite size appetizer using mini-tart pan. Don’t worries about making it look perfect as this pie is supposed to be rustic looking ;)

Ingredients:

Shortcrust pastry – refer to the recipe here (you can use the store bought pastry)
3 links fresh chicken sausages
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
¼ grated parmesan cheese
3 eggs
¾ cup milk
2 leeks – wash and thinly sliced
¼ chopped red pepper
¼ chopped yellow pepper
2 spring onions - cut small
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Removed sausages from it casing. Heat up a frying pan and cook the sausages until lightly brown. Add in the leeks. Continue to cook until the leeks are lightly brown. Dish out and set aside.
2. Roll out the pastry and place it on a pie dish or small tart pans. Set it aside. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degree F.
3. Combined eggs, milk together. Beat well and add in the two cheeses, salt and pepper. (go easy on the salt as the cheeses might be salty) Mix well.
4. Place the sausage and leeks into the tart shell. Pour the egg mixture into the tart shell. Top it with yellow, red peppers and spring onions.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Serve warm.

Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year! A year full with peace, joy, health and wealth.

Christmas Brunch Recipes

Just like every year I prepared very simple brunch for Christmas. It is normally some light finger food. This way I don't have to spend too much time slogging in the kitchen doing cooking, baking and then washing up. After lunch we can just sit back and relax next to the fireplace and watching TV or just being together. Here are some of the foods I prepared for the family and share some with our good neighbor Nancy.


Seafood Tarts

Spinach Rolls

Meat Puffs

Light Japanese Fruitcake

Chocolate Cake