candy canes

Christmas sugar cookies...got a new cutter and some minty candy came sprinkles in New York, love them ever so!

salted caramel millionaires shortbread...yum. that is all.

lemon wreath cookies - or - ciambelle

gingerbread people: wedding favours and place names

peppermint swirl cookies

found these cookies during one of my seemingly endless blog hops...and can not for the life of me find the link, whoops!  but...the idea is fantatsic, the cookies themselves were not pepperminty enough for me and were also a little hard, for me but not for others who tasted them.

I am going to definitely take the concept and rework it again, I think I will use the chunky swirl shortbread recipe from the Green & Blacks Chocolate cook book and adapt it for this.  In fact the possibilities are quite endless so a day of cookie experiments may be needed :D  what larks!

easter baking - birthday berry gateau yogurt & bunny sugar cookies

an easter trip to devon, a place of cherised childhood memories...glorious sun chased away the rain after the first day so many long walks were had before heading back to our cosy cottage for some yummy food and fireside treats, divine.

 

chocolate dipped peanut butter sandwich cookies

...another lovely new blog discovery, another recipe I can't make again for at least a year lest the other cookie recipes get jealous.

make these cookies.  eat them.  share them.  but also keep some in a pot in the fridge at home so you forget about them then find them when glaring at the contents willing it to make itself into dinner...and all is right again with the world...

christmas treat boxes 2009

sugar cookies; chocolate, brown sugar gingerspice, butterscotch pecan and chocolate earl grey sandwiches with white chocolate ganache

chocolate earl grey tea cookies

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

tea? anyone? coookie? yes? good. ingredients 2 cups plain flour 1/2 cup cocoa 1/2 cup caster sugar 1/2 cup icing sugar 6 earl grey teabags worth of tea (about 2 tbsps if loose already) 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces cold water method 1. whizz up all the dry ingredients in a food processor, this will also break down the tea at the same time 2. add the vanilla and butter, pulse, then add the water a tiny drizzle at a time until the dough comes together - keep it dry rather than wet, about 1 tsp water is enough 3. tip out mix onto some baking paper, bring together, shape into a log and wrap in the paper. Pop in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes - preheat oven to 190C (180C if your oven is hot hot hot like mine) 4. remove the cookie log from the fridge and slice into discs, about 1/2 inch wide 5. place on baking paper on trays and bake in the centre of the oven for 8-10 minutes; remove and allow to cool completely on the baking paper on some cooling racks before devouring with a nice cup-o-tea!

red nose day, cupcakes & cookies

my mum asked me to bake some goodies for her to sell for red nose day; on offer were Red Nose Sugar Cookies, Iced Vanilla Cupcakes and Red Velvet Cupcakes (no prizes for guessing which ran out first!)...and £155 was rasied for comic relief!

a series of festive bakings...

scrummy chocolate swirl shortbread

another beautiful recipe from one of the best presents I ever got, these shortbreads are so simple to make and undeniably sublime to scrobble down to your belly place. They take only 20 minutes to prepare, but you have to chill the dough so they are not a super quick treat, but if you have a spare hour then they can be yours!

Ingredients

Shortbread 1

150g plain flour

1/2tsp salt

50g caster sugar

125g unsalted butter, room temp

Shortbread 2

125g plain flour

25g cocoa powder

1/2tsp salt

50g caster sugar

125g unsalted butter, room temp

100g dark chocolate, chopped into rough smallish pieces (I have used various chocolates, the green & blacks maya gold is especially lovely)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150C and line two baking trays with greaseproof paper

2. To make the first shortbread sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Rub in the butter until the mixture combines, knead lightly, then place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

3. Make the second shortbread by following the same steps, but including the cocoa with the flour. Again place in the fridge to chill.

4. Roll out both doughs on a lightly floured surface, roll into equally sized rectangles about 1cm thick.

5. Place the plain shortbread onto a sheet of greaseproof paper and place the chocolate shortbread on top; scatter the chopped dark chocolate over the top.

6. Using the greaseproof paper, roll the shortbread like a swiss-roll, rolling with the longest side. Don't worry if it breaks or if the chocolate pokes through, all part of the rustic charm. Once you have it rolled into a log, roll it a bit more to make it longer, but not too much. Pinch in the ends to prevent the chocolate falling out.

7. If you are making this in the middle of summer, or if you have your heating on furnace settings, you may want to pop it back in the fridge to firm up a bit more...if not, proceed...

8. Using a sharp knife slice the log into 1cm thick slices. Place onto the lined baking trays and bake for 25 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack before scoffing lots of them with a cup of tea.

iced sugar cookies

these little beauties are incredibly simple to make and lend them selves to a variety of shapes and icing formats. And in what format did I bake them for my market stall? well...I halved the dough and did one batch of simple iced circles and stars, and the other half as hearts iced with a lemon glaze and pink sugar edging.

the dough has to sit in the fridge for at least an hour before rolling out so don't forget to work this into your timing if you are making them last minute...I have a number of recipes for these cookies, but the one I have used the most is from Joy of Baking, which makes 36 cookies.

Ingredients

490g plain flour

1/4tsp salt

1tsp baking powder

227g unsalted butter, room temperature

300g granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. In a large bowl sift together the flour, salt and baking powder

2. With an electric mixer or hand mixer cream the softened butter and add the sugar, beat for a further 3 minutes

3. Add the eggs ad vanilla gradually and incorporate fully

4. Slowly add the dry mix on a low speed and beat until you have a smooth dough - it may seem quite sticky, this is fine, leave it for a minute then halve it and wrap in cling film, chill in the fridge for at least one hour. If you have time then you can make the dough a day in advance a leave overnight.

5. Preheat the oven to 176C/350F...though as mine is craaaazy hot I put it at 170C, with the racks in the centre of the oven. Line two baking trays with baking paper (I just bought two silicone baking mats, which are awesome! and save me soooooo much paper, and I am a tree fan)

6. Remove one half of the dough from the fridge, and on a lightly floured surface, roll out to just under 1cm (I do mine about 5-8mm and they are fine, I find 1cm a touch big).

7. Using your cookie cutter of choice cut out shapes from the dough, if you flour the cutter you may find this easier, and transfer to the baking sheets.

8. Bake the cookies for 10mins - or until just starting to lightly brown on the edges - then transfer to a cooling rack. Once all the first half of the dough is used, get the second out and repeat - this keeps the dough all nice and cool while you do the first batch.

9. Ice the cookies as you wish...For the market I made up some simple red and blue icings; icing sugar, a few drops of dye and then dribbles of water til it reaches a decent spreading consistency. For the hearts I made an undyed icing with icing sugar and water, the rolled the edges of the hearts in pink granulated sugar (just drip a drop of dye into some sugar and mix it all about!)...

and for halloween, little pumpkin shaped goodies for the mini-trick or treaters that visit each year...

the merchant market or a work based bake off!

a market was announced at work, so I thought a nice wee cake stall of delights and delectations would go down well...and so it did! I spent 1 1/2 days baking, which I loved loved loved! hah, so much better than sitting at a computer all day...I was surrounded by yummy smells and ingredients, listening to plays on radio four in my kitchen all day...knackering but brilliant!

I made a variety of treats for sale; coffee & doughnut cupcakes, boston cream pie & coconut cream pie cupcakes, iced sugar cookies, flaked almond cookies, gluten free spiced shortbread, orange butter biscuits and dark chocolate ginger cookies, chocolate macaroons....and....rocky road!

I also started promoting my Christmas Treat Boxes, which I hope to get some orders for - everyone likes a nice home baked cookie at crimble time don't they? Hope so!

The recipes will be forthcoming...

inside-out carrot cake cookies

mmmmhmmm! carrot cake is awesome, cookies are awesome...the genius that thought of combining the two should be given a giant medal made of cake.

These are exceedingly nice, if I made them again I think I might use dark muscavado sugar rather than light, just to get a deeper colour but here is the recipe I used this time (I doubled the amounts as the below only makes 15 whole cookies)

Ingredients

1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 large egg 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup coarsely grated carrots (2 medium) 1 scant cup walnuts (3 oz), chopped 1/2 cup raisins (2 1/2 oz)

Filling

8oz cream cheese

icing sugar

lemon juice

Method

1. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 180C. Line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper

2. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl

3. Beat together butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes

4. Mix in carrots, nuts, and raisins at low speed, then add flour mixture and beat until just combined

5. Drop 1/2 dessert spoon of batter per cookie, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets and bake. Switching position of th sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are lightly browned and springy to the touch, 10 - 12 minutes total

6. Cool cookies on sheets on racks 1 minute, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely

7. While cookies are baking, blend cream cheese with sieved icing sugar and lemon juice until you get the sweetness you like, chill this in the fridge

8. Once cool sandwich flat sides of cookies together with a generous tablespoon of cream cheese filling

classic cookies

Dreary weather means grumpy souls at work and there is nothing like a cookie (and snibbling at the raw dough) to make you smile! I got the recipe from the Ben & Jerry's recipe book, scrumptious!

Recipe makes about 24

Ingredients

1 cup (226g) butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup soft light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups & 2 tbsp plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

150g dark chocolate - roughly cut into chunks

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175C/350F & line baking sheets with baking parchment

2. Beat butter and both sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy

3. Add the eggs one at a time, and then the vanilla. Mix well to incorporate

4. Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into another bowl

5. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix well

6. Stir in the chocolate

7. Drop small scoops of the dough onto the trays (walnut sized blobs gave nice sized cookies)

8. Bake until the centers are still slightly soft to the touch - about 11 minutes

9. Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for a few minutes then transfer to cooling racks...then pop into a tin and cheer up your work mates! yummy yum yum!