DB Sept Challenge - Decorated Sugar Cookies

 The September 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mandy of “What the Fruitcake?!” Mandy challenged everyone to make Decorated Sugar Cookies based on recipes from Peggy Porschen and The Joy of Baking.

September brings AFL football finals and Spring here in Australia, I didn't really like the team colours competing so flowers and floral colours won the battle of the decoration theme. 

Mandy's very thorough recipe steps meant that all my cookies kept their shape and looked perfect coming out of the oven! The decoration part went smoother than expected, I didn't make the sugared flowers - I had a little stash of them in the pantry so decided it was a great time to make use of them. 

This is a great skill to have learnt as these biscuits are so versatile and could be appropriate for many different occasions. So yes I would definitely make them again.

Thanks to Mandy for her wonderful challenge and notes! To check out more DB results - check out Daring Kitchen.

Not exactly traditional Chinese Cuisine...

This week's Cookbook Challenge proved a bit tricky with finding a Chinese themed dessert in my cookbook collection. I hunted high and low and my search finished with this slice recipe. 

From what I have discovered the name itself is as Chinese as this slice gets, according to this website the recipe for Chinese Chews was first published in the June 1917 edition of Good Housekeeping! 

Image Source - Good Housekeeping June 1917

 
My recipe came from another school recipe book in my collection, College Cuisine -Centenary Edition, Mount Lilydale College. This book was compiled in 1996 to mark 100 years in the school's history. I was in year 11 at the time and our Tech,Design and Development - Food class helped to publish well loved recipes from the school community. There are recipes from past and present students and staff. This particular recipe was from Essie Geiran (nee Robb) who attended the college in 1946!

Chinese Chews

1 heaped cup SR flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup dates

1/2 cup walnuts

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp baking powder

125g butte, melted

Grease a swiss roll tray. Preheat oven to 180'.

Combine sifted flour, baking powder, sugar, dry fruit and walnuts. 

Beat eggs well, add melted butter and stir into dry ingredients. Mix well. 

Press into greased tray.

Bake in moderate oven for approximately 30 minutes.

Thanks Essie! 


Linked to: 
Get your craft on @ Today's Creative Blog 
Something I whipped up @ The Girl Creative 
Tasty Tuesdays @ Beauty and Bedlam
Tempt my tummy Tuesdays @ Blessed with Grace 
 

Ultimate Choc-Chip Cookies....Crunchy or Chewy?

Do you like your chocolate chip cookies crunchy or chewy? I'm a chewy fan and always looking for a new recipe to try.

This recipe is adapted from the book Epicure Chocolate, a collection of recipes from the Epicure section of The Age newspaper. The recipe is by Australian Masterchef judge Matt Preston, a respected food critic in his other life prior to the MC juggernaut taking the country by storm. It's called the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie which immediately sets a high standard if you are cookie fan.... you be the judge!

        My Ultimate Choc-Chip Cookies

600g Chocolate of your choice (dark, milk, white or combination)

2 cups plain flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

250g well-softened unsalted butter

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

2/3 cup caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp water

1 egg

125g almonds, roughly chopped

125g macadamias, roughly chopped

125g skinless hazelnuts, roughly chopped (if you prefer to leave all or some of the nuts out, replace with chocolate)

Preheat oven to 180'c.
Break chocolate in squares, roughly chop, leave some bigger chunks.
Sift together flour, salt and powder into a bowl.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars. 
Add the vanilla, water and egg. Beat together until combined.
Beat in flour mixture. 
Stir in chocolate and nuts a little at a time. 
The mixture will be very thick and clumpy. 
Drop balls of mixture on to baking tray lined with non-stick paper. Make sure they are evenly spaced. Gently press them down with the back of a fork. 
Cook for about 10 minutes for chewy or about 14 minutes for a crunchy finish.
Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. 

Mouthwatering Mondays @ A Southern Fairytale

Tasty Tuesdays @ A Beautiful Mess

Tempt my Tummy Tuesday @  Blessed with Grace 

Get your craft on @Todays Creative Blog

Make it yours @  My Backyard Eden

Creative Chick Parade @ The Girl Creative

Cookbook Challenge Week 42 & 43 - Hummingbird Muffins with Crunchy Toffee

I've slipped behind a bit in the Cookbook Challenge so I decided to be a bit sneaky and combine the themes of 'Bird' and 'Crunchy' this week! 

This recipe is adapted from Super Food Ideas October 2010.

       Hummingbird Muffins with Crunchy Toffee & Walnut Topping

Muffins

2 cups SR Flour

1/2 tsp bicarb soda

1 tsp mixed spice

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup mashed banana

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

440g crushed pineapple in natural juice, undrained

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 Tb flaked coconut

Cream Cheese Icing

160g extra light cream cheese

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups icing sugar

Toffee topping

1 cup caster sugar

Muffins

1. Preheat oven to 180'c /160' fan-forced, place muffin cases in muffin tin.

2. Sift flour, bicarb and mixed spice together in a bowl. Add sugar. Using a large metal spoon, stir to combine. Stir in eggs, banana, oil, vanilla, pineapple and two thirds of the walnuts. 

3. Pour batter into muffin cases. Bake for approximately 30 mins or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool on wire rack before icing. 

Icing

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar until smooth. 

Toffee

Put caster sugar in a non stick fry pan and stir over medium heat until a liquid is formed. Be careful not to burn, take off the heat when sugar has turned a golden colour. 

Pour into a baking tray that is lined with greaseproof paper. Make sure the tray is sitting on a board as the toffee is extremely hot. Spread toffee mix out as much as possible before it sets. Once toffee is set break and crush into small pieces. 

Top the muffins with cream cheese icing, sprinkle with remaining walnuts and broken toffee pieces. 

Linked to

Strut your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple 

Show off your stuff @ Fireflies and Jellybeans
Show and Tell Fridays @ My Romantic Home 

Foodie Fridays @ Designs by Gollum

White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Berries and Coulis

The first Sunday in September is Father's Day here in Australia, we celebrated with our extended family on Sunday evening at my parent's place.  We had a full house - 10 adults and 3 grandchildren which made it extra special. On the menu was; Antipasto Platter, Antipasto Skewers, Mum's Lamb Roast, beautiful roast vegetables and dessert - White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Berry Coulis.

White Chocolate Panna Cotta

180g White Chocolate, chopped

2 cups of thickened cream

1 Tb caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla paste or extract

1 Tb boiling water

1 1/2 tsp gelatine powder

1. Combine chocolate, cream, sugar and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. 

2. Place boiling water in a small bowl. Sprinkle over gelatine mixture and stir until dissolved. Stir into chocolate mixture until smooth. 

3. Pour mixture into a jug and divide between 6 espresso glasses or similar. (See Note at the end of recipe) Chill for 4 hours or until set. 

Mixed Berrie Coulis

4tbs caster sugar
100mls water
300g frozen mixed berries (or fresh if in season)

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat, stir until the sugar has dissolved then allow to boil and reduce to a syrup. 

2. Keep about 3/4 cup of berries aside to add to dessert once the coulis is poured. 
2. Place the remainder of the berries in another small saucepan over a low heat, crush lightly then pour over the sugar syrup, cook for a few minutes then strain through a sieve and pour into a small jug.

 Notes:
This is a rich dessert, the serving size is more than enough! 

You can serve this in espresso cups as the recipe suggests but I tried using moulds which also work well, I used containers from my daughter's fruit snacks, they are clear plastic and a perfect size. Prepare as per the recipe instructions and when you are ready to serve, sit the mould in boiling water for ten seconds, remove from water, gently squeeze the container around the outside to loosen mix from the plastic and tip on to serving plate.  

Linked to:

Just Something I whipped up @ The Girl Creative

Mouthwatering Mondays @ A Southern Fairytale

Market yourself Mondays @ Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Making the world Cuter Mondays  

Tasty Tuesdays @ A Beautiful Mess

Tempt my Tummy Tuesday @  Blessed with Grace 

Get your craft on @Todays Creative Blog

Tasty Tuesdays@  Beauty and Bedlam

Sugar and Spice @ Seven Thirty Three

Hoo's got talent? @ Night Owl Crafting  

Make it yours @ My Backyard Eden

Creative Chick Parade @ The Girl Creative  

Cookbook Challenge Week 41 - Celebration

                                  Mmmmm... Butterscotch.....

Butterscotch self saucing pudding is not something that normally springs to mind when the word celebration is mentioned but it was what my husband requested for his birthday celebration dessert/cake and considering we are just finishing winter here it was perfect for a cold wintry night!

This recipe is from a recipe book that has been so well loved and used over the years that the front cover has come off! It is from my old primary school's recipe book and it is a bit sentimental to me because it was one of the first recipe books I used when making mess (baking!) in my mum's kitchen many years ago! I started my baking hobby with an aptly titled cake called "Simplicity Cake", that page has cake splatter spread across the pages! 

(Always a good sign I think!) From there I have moved on but this pudding has always been a favourite in our house!

Recipe - Butterscotch Self Saucing Pudding

Book - Derrinallum Primary School Family Recipes - Circa 1985

Ingredients

1 cup SR flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 oz butter (melted)

1/2 cup milk

Sauce

2 Tbs Golden syrup

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 oz butter

Method

Preheat oven to 180'

Mix flour, sugar and salt together, add milk and melted butter.

Pour into greased dish.

Mix golden syrup, water and butter together in a Pyrex jug, mix until butter has melted.

Pour sauce over the top of the pudding.

Place dish on tray (to catch any overflow)

Bake in oven for 30mins.

Serve with ice-cream.  

Notes:

I normally make this in a large dish but it can easily be made in ramekins, just adjust the cooking time. 

What was the first recipe you ever tried? 



Linked to:
Foodie Fridays @ Designs by Gollum
Strut your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple   
Show off your stuff @ Fireflies and Jellybeans 
Hoo's got talent? @ Night Owl Crafting