Matcha Macaron ..

It has been a while not baking macaron, a year I believe, until this week I feel like to bake this cute cookies again. And what happened ? I failed , I thought I already lost my 'magic power' , I waste my precious matcha powder! Not only the shell didn't have 'feet' but just flat like a coin..    oh this can't be right !!!     The next day, read the recipe carefully , pay attention to my oven heat , exactly 50 stroke mixing the batter, and look at my macaron ....    I did it....  yaaay..

For the macarons shells:
90 gr egg whites (about 3)
30 gr granulated sugar
200 gr powdered sugar
110 gr almonds

2 tsp matcha powder

For the whites: the day before (24hrs), separate your eggs and store the whites at room temperature in a covered container. If you want to use 48hrs (or more) egg whites, you can store them in the fridge.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to a foam, gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glossy meringue. Do not over beat your meringue or it will be too dry. Combine the almonds and powdered sugar in a food processor and give them a good pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add them to the meringue, give it a quick fold to break some of the air and then fold the mass carefully until you obtain a batter that flows like lava or a thick ribbon. Add the matcha powder. Give quick strokes at first to break the mass and slow down. The whole process should not take more than 50 strokes. Test a small amount on a plate: if the tops flattens on its own you are good to go. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple of turns.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with the batter and pipe small rounds (1.5 inches in diameter) onto parchment paper or silicone mats lined baking sheets. 

Preheat the oven to 280F. Let the macarons sit out for 30 minutes to an hour to harden their shells a bit and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their size. Let cool. If you have trouble removing the shells, pour a couple of drops of water under the parchment paper while the sheet is still a bit warm and the macarons will lift up more easily do to the moisture. Don't let them sit there in it too long or they will become soggy. Once baked and if you are not using them right away, store them in an airtight container out of the fridge for a couple of days or in the freezer. 

To fill: pipe or spoon about 1 big tablespoon of chocolate ganache in the center of one shell and top with another one.

Chocolate Ganache 

Ingredients :

• 1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces or 360 ml ) heavy cream
• 1 lb (454 grams) semisweet or bittersweet dark chocolate

1. 1. In a heavy saucepan, boil heavy cream. Turn off the heat. Add chopped chocolate pieces and let it rest until melted. Use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture until all the pieces are melted.
   2. Pour it into a room-temperature bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the ganache until firm.
2. 1. Note: For White Chocolate Ganache, substitute white chocolate for semisweet or bittersweet dark chocolate.
   2. 
      

Nastar Cookies / Pineapple Tart Cookies

2 times in a week I baked this cookies, first of all because the pineapple in store near by was crazy cheap .  Without hesitation I bought 5 of them, peel, granted and made pineapple jam since everyone loves eat bread with pineapple jam over the weekend.  Off course, I used some of them for my pineapple tart cookies .


Wanna try to make your own ? I adapted recipe from my blogger buddy, Annita..  thanks for the recipe dear ..

Nastar Cookies
350 gram unsalted butter, room temperature
100 gram sweet condensed milk
2 egg yolks
510 gram all purpose flour
Egg wash : 1 egg yolk + 2 tsp honey + 1 teaspoon milk

Direction :

Beat together butter and condensed milk until light and fluffy. Add egg, one and a time, beat until well mixed. Slowly add all purpose flour in batches into the mixture, beat until the dough becomes smooth, but not sticky. I find it easier if I just use my hand to incorporate the last batch of flour into the dough.

Scoop 10 gram of dough and make a round ball. Repeat until dough is used up.

Prepare 2 baking sheets, each lined with a parchment paper.

Flatten each dough, place the pineapple jam filling at the center, gather the edges of the dough and wrap the filling with the dough. Roll into a round ball, then place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat for the rest of dough and jam filling.

Mix egg yolk, honey and milk together to make the egg wash. Brush the top of cookies with egg wash.

Preheat oven to 300 Fahrenheit. Bake the cookies for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

Let the cookies cool completely before storing them in nice looking jars.

Pineapple jam

1 ripe pineapple, flesh only

1 cinnamon stick (optional)

3 cloves (optional)

200 gram brown sugar, or to taste

Directions :

In a food processor/blender, puree pineapple. Transfer pineapple puree into a heavy bottom pot along with cinnamon stick, cloves, brown sugar .Turn on heat to medium and cook until boiling,

Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking until the jam is really thick. Add more sugar if needed. Near the end, be sure to stir and scrap frequently to prevent burning.

Transfer jam to a mixing bowl to cool. Keep in refrigerator . Make this pineapple jam ahead of time, and let in room temperature before you using it

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

When we (me and my daughter) go to Grocery Store near by our house, she always get 1 free cookies, - isn't nice ? she always pick a snickerdoodles cookies . She loves that cookies so much.  I looking for recipe, and found one - called "chocolate snickerdoodles" .  Without hesitation, I follow that recipe, no skip anything ..follow the directions. I was so upset with the result, the cookie is so HARD ..!! like rock , I need to throw all of them to the garbage bin, well , I just don't want my kid eat and broke her tooth .. 

 

The next day, I try do it again with so much adjustment from me , and just follow my guts .. and I just love the texture . 3 days in row bake this cookies, I share the cookies with teachers, friends, co-worker , they absolutely love it ... don't ask about my daughter and hubby , :)) you know the answer.

 

 

 

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Ingredients :

2 cups of All Purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 stick of unsalted butter 

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Cinnamon Sugar for rolling , (see below how to make cinnamon sugar)

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg powder

 

Directions :

Pre-heat the oven 350 F.  Line 2 baking sheet with parchment

 

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, baking powder

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium high for about 1 minute, until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time. Beating well, stir in the vanilla, scrape the bottom of the bowl.

 

On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients, continue mixing only until the flour disappear.

Divide the dough into ball, roll the dough ball in the cinnamon sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. With damp finger flatten the dough ball slightly until the are 1 inch thick.

 

Bake the cookies for 12 minute, until golden brown at the edges and set in the middle. Cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to racks to cool completely.

 

Yield : 24 small cookies

Mrs.Field Chocolate Cookies - Copy Cat

 

 

Summer is definitely on the air now, we have a humid weather already - not three digits temperature yet, around 80 F so far. We have a heavy rain every day during a week , mostly 3 hours or so and than stop, when the rain stop than sun coming ... we can feel how humid the air is.  What better than that especially during summer break ?  jump to the swimming pool , off course. 

Try to do the same like last year, I invite several my daughter friends to have play-swim day at home mostly from 2 - 5pm ; so every moms can enjoy their time alone without kids for several hours :)

What better than hear the sound of bunch of kids playing in the water .. 

 

Yesterday, we have 4 girls play along (mostly we have 6 of them but the two(s) on vacation so they will join the crew next week - it's really fun )  I provide the snacks , drinks and fruits... this time the cookies I made was 'Mrs. Field Chocolate Cookies' - the truth I never try to buy those cookies at store, so I have no idea what the taste is, but I found the copy cat recipe through internet .. it was a DELICIOUS cookies !!!  Before the kids come - the jar is full with the cookies, when they left only half jar full , ooh .. the kids will have sugar rush ...  but all mom's didn't mind at all , since they are on summer break *grin*

 

Here is the recipe, I copy Top Secret Recipe site :)

 

 

Mrs. Field Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients :

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 twelve-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips

 

Directions :

Pre-heat oven to 350 F

In large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla

In another bowl, mixing together all dry ingredient but chocolate chips

Combine the wet and dry ingredients.

With your finger, placed golf ball size dough portion 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet

Bake about 9 - 10 minute, or just until the edges are light brown

Makes 2 dozen cookies ... and it will disappear before your eyes :)))

 

 

Neiman Marcus Cookies and Summer Break

Today is last day of school, the little one will enjoying summer break with so many activities :)  I enroll some summer break course for her , from jump to 3rd grade ; mad math & science ; swimming ; gymnastic .. I know she will be busy - well, I think that will work for us too , since we won't going vacation this year due too many homework around the house .

Yesterday, while she walked to school , she told me - maybe we should bake some cookies and bring to school so she can share a delicious cookies I made for her the other day for her class mates.  I agree , and sent e-mail to her teacher if we allowed to bring home made cookies for last day of school . So far, she agree since no allergic kids in class room .

I decided to bake this cookies - the name of cookies really intimidate me, you know .. we have Neiman Marcus Store in our city , that is the store I will never visit or even dare to just doing window shopping.  NO . big.. NO NO  I will spend money in that store, well .. the fact is I have no money to spend or even interest to spend my fortune to the very expensive store like that  LOL  .  And the name of cookies make me curious what the taste of cookies is ?

It's really delicious !!!  I think some how really healthy too, since I can 'hide' oatmeal into the cookies .. healthy for my kiddo , you know.... *wink*     I bake not only for kids in the classroom but bake an extra batch for the teachers and staff too.

oh, talking about my daughter .. Not because I brag too much about her , but she is doing very well at school.  Last week she has gymnastic spring performance, and a couple days ago .. she came back home from school brought 3 certificates , one of certificate really make us happy was presented to her for going above and beyond in academics and character ..  Well done kiddo, I am so proud of you..

Neiman Marcus Cookies
Source : Saveur Magazine

INGREDIENTS

16 tbsp. (2 sticks) butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1⁄2 cups oatmeal, processed in blender to a fine powder
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1⁄2 tsp. salt
2 cups (about 12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1 1⁄2 cups walnuts, chopped  - I skip this for kids, but still using it for teachers and staff.
4 oz. Hershey's chocolate, grated

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together in a large bowl until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add oatmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Stir in chocolate chips, walnuts, and chocolate.

2. Roll dough into 1 1⁄2" balls and place 2" apart on large baking sheets. Bake until light golden but still soft in the middle, 10–12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack and let cool.

 

 

Cinnamon & Hazelnut Meringue

 

I think this is the best meringue recipe I ever find ever, using the Swiss meringue method .. its so delicious ..and  the cook book is so highly recommend too , Ottolenghi - The Cook Book .. !!  Let's have a try but not recommend to bake this during summer time because a long hour of using the oven, try bake during winter only, it will. keep your room warm :))

 

 

 

Cinnamon & Hazelnut Meringue

Source : Ottolenghi - The Cookbook

Ingredients :
200gr free-range egg white (about 7)
260 gr superfine sugar
140 gr dark brown muscovado sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
30 gr unskinnd hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions :
Pre heat the oven 225 F
Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a light simmer
Place the egg white and both sugars in a heatproof bowl large enough to sit on top of the pan. Put in over the simmering water, making sure it doesn't actually touch the water, and leave it there about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally , until the mixture is quite hot (105F) and the sugar have dissolved into the whites.

Pour the whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip on high speed. Work the meringue about 8 minute, until the mix has cooled completely . When ready, it should be firm and glossy, and keep its shape when you lift a bit with spoon.

Sprinkle with cinnamon over the meringue mix and use a rubber spatula to fold it in gently.

Line a flat baking sheet or 2 depending on their size with parchment paper.
Have ready 2 large kitchen spoon. Use one of them to scoop up a generous spoonful of the meringue and the other to scrape this out onto the line pan, sprinkle with hazelnut

Place in the oven and bake for 1 1/4 to 2 hours. To check, poke them gently inside and look underneath . The meringue should be nice and dry underneath and still a little soft in the center.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Store in a dry place, but not the fridge, the meringue will keep for a few days.

 

Note :

ooh.. jeez, I think my mind is always somewhere else ... it was funny moment, until I saw pictures in this page again several days after I posting .. what the heck those book sitting there but accessori , no.. i don't mean that ... I was about to telling you about the novel that I read , i tell you that book is so recomended from me .. well, you know I am a big fan of James Petterson, but this book is kind of different than the series I read before .. the title is Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas ... I love the book .. I enjoy the book. Go to local library , get that book.. and read it .. i think you will like it as I do ..   Anyway, I found the movie from netflix .. I plan to watch the movie over the weekend , and see if I won't feel dissapointed as like before.. you know, sometime book is better than movie it self..

Cheese Puff / Gougeres

 

These little cheese puffs are atraditional French hors d'oeuvre - Most recipes for gougeres call for Gruneyere cheese, but any dry aged cheese will work as well, such Parmigiano-Regiano. It's very easy baking , though .

 

Cheese Puffs

Ingredients :
1 cup water
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 cup butter, sliced
1 tsp sugar
1 cup flour, sifted
4 eggs
3 ounces dry age cheese
1 tbsp paprika (optional)
1 egg white plus more as needed


Combine the water, salt, butter and sugar in a sauce pan, and bring to a simmer over high heat. There is no need to stir. Turn the heat down to medium and add the flour all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon, for about 3 minutes. or until the mixture forms a cohensive mass and pull away from the sides of the pan.

Transfer the panade to a bowl or a stand mixer and beat it a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment for aboout 1 minute, or until slighty cooled.

Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until you've add 4. Check the consistency of the batter if you are mixing in a stand mixer, you will know you have add the right number of eggs when the dough pulls away from the paddle attachment in a thick rope.

Pre heat the oven to 425F. Grate the cheese finel, you should have 1 cup. Reserve 1/4 cup and mix the rest into the dough with a wooden spoon. Min in the paprika , if you use it.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with dough. Pipe the pastry in dollops about 1 inch apart, in staggered rows.

Brush the gougeres with egg wash and smooth off the tops with brush. Sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve as soon as possible, they can also be frozen and gently reheated.

Chubby Crinkle Red Velvet Cookies

Its look like I abandon my mixer since last December ; I didn't do much of baking - nothing happened .. just feel bored !! I choose to sewing rather than playing with mixer.  But yesterday afternoon I received a very good news about my little one rank at school.  So, I tough it must be great to bake some cookies before I picked her up from school.  Well, this is really simple recipe , just using cake mix but still nice though ...

Here is the recipe I got from the back of cake mix I used :)

 

Chubby Crinkle Red Velvet Cookies

Ingredients :

6 tbsp. butter                                                                                      

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. cornstarch

1 box  Red Velvet Cake Mix

2 large eggs

1 tsp. lemon zest

Directions :

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter; set aside to cool. Place powdered sugar and cornstarch in shallow dish. Mix with a fork to blend.

 

Place cake mix, cooled butter, eggs and lemon zest in large mixing bowl. Mix by hand until well blended and a dough forms.

 

Form dough into 1" balls and roll in powdered sugar. Place on cool, ungreased baking sheets about 2" apart.

 

Bake, 1 sheet at a time, in center of oven for 9 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

 

Store in airtight container with wax paper or parchment separating layers.

 

 

The Common Cookies

 

Ask Indonesian people, what a popular cookies for Eid Celebration ? no doubt, they will say "Nastar" and "Katetong" - a very simple cookies yet delicious.  You are not celebrate Eid, if you don't have nastar - well, I think that is a real MANTRA !!  As like other who celebrate Eid in Indonesia - far away from home, I want do the same , bake a humble nastar and katetong. eew, why I just bake once a year since hubby and daughter loves this ?

The other hand, I just realize that another cookies named : katetong - has a different named around the country. Some called cat tounge (which make sense to me, katetong - sound like cat tounge) or Lingue di gato are so named because their shape resembles a cat’s tongue.  They also look a lot like a ladyfinger.  Katetong have a wonderful buttery flavor and can be served plain or frosted with a glaze of bittersweet chocolate.  You can also sandwich two cookies together with the chocolate glaze or with a little jam or Nutella. 

I got this recipe from my beloved friend, Ika Ray - so talented lady, who loves to bake and cook  . I need to re-post the recipe since I told my daughter, someday she need to bake her own :)

 

 

Nastar / Pineapple Tarts Recipe

Recipe : Ika Ray Kitchen

Pineapple Jam Filling
Ingredients:
4 large pineapples
300 g sugar
1 clove
1 inch cinnamon stick

Method:
1. Slice and grate pineapples till fine. You can use a food processor do grate it.
2. In medium pot ( i used spaghetti pot - so the pot deep enough to simmer the jam and not much of mess around the kitchen after work) put the grated pineapple, cinnamon stick, clove, let it simmer until the juice has dry up. Than add sugar .
3. Stir till the pineapple has thickened and dry.

Note : You can make the filling in advance and refrigerate it.

Pastry
Ingredients:
350 g margarine
350 gr butter
150 g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
900 g all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla essence

Egg Brush
2 egg yolk plus 1Tbsp water

Method:
1.Preheat oven at 150° C.
2.Cream margarine, butter and sugar till white.
3.Add in egg yolks and beat at low speed for 1 minute.
4.Fold in flour gradually.
5.Take about 2 tsp pastry dough, roll, press with your finger put a filling, roll it again.
6.Brush with egg brush. Add clove for decoration (optional)
7.Bake in a preheat oven at 350F for 20-25 minutes or when tarts is light golden brown in color

 

Katetong / Cat Tounge Cookies

Recipe : Ika Ray

Ingredients:
white eggs from 3 eggs (approx.90 - 100 ml)
450 gr margarine
150 gr butter
350 gr powder sugar
75 gr shreded cheddar cheese
600 gr all purpose flour (shive)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Direction :
Beat margarine, butter, sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Add white eggs, little by little, beat again until smooth and well blended. Gradually add flour .
With spatulla add cheddar cheese, mix well.
Place the dough inside a piping bag (i used plain tip). Then squeezed
out the dough into a greased kattetong mould. or just I just placed the dough on a cookie tin which was lined with a piece of parchment paper - pipe about 4 - 5 cm long
Bake in a preheat oven at 350F for 15-20 minute until done

Waffle Cookies

 

Another bad weather coming to Midwest today, in started with a rain since Tuesday night until morning and change into snow. No school cancelation day, mean the weather probably just will be fine. It's absolutely slick on the road - I don't feel like to drive around during this nasty weather, just stay home since I finished my grocery shopping yesterday and thinking about to start put border for my quilt.. (ooh, I went to fabric store too yesterday, will show you the fabrics I picked up .. so lovely, and today my hand still klik..klik..klik  (push the enter button)  doing on line shopping *dooh* )

Until I saw 2 cookies jar on the table are empty. Oh NO.. !! this is not good :P - two cookies monster will craving and begging for me to bake.

Hmm.. let see, just bake something fast like this waffle cookies - really fast, no oven required.. It's only require of Belgian waffle maker that's all. wuhuuu .. less than 15 minute, everything ready .. I still have time to play around with my fabrics soon.

It is a fun cookies I ever make, please don't expect a perfect shape of cookies .. not too pretty but yet yummy..and supper fun if you decide to share with some other friends too. You can substitute the chocolate chips with almost anything you have in your pantry, such cinnamon, raisin whatever you like but your kiddo(s) probably will appreciate chocolate chips ^_^

Chocolate Chips Waffle Cookies
Ingredients

100gm butter, room temperature.
1/2 cup vanilla sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
2 small eggs {or 2 yolks + 1 white}
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions :
1.In a stand mixer, cream together butter, vanilla , pinch of salt and sugar at medium speed for three minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl as necessary.

2.Add eggs and continue to beat on medium for another two minutes, scraping the bowl as necessary.
3.Set the mixer to stir and spoon in the flour, baking powder and chocolate chips. The finished batter should have the consistency of a sticky cookie dough.

4.Prepare your waffle maker as direction on the box and dish out measured tablespoon-sized portions (3/4 oz) into each division of the waffle iron. Bake for 2 minutes or until golden brown, and let cool and crisp up on a wire rack.

Whoopie Pies with Salted Dulce de Leche

 

Before going to school, my little one told me -  : today I want you make a meat ball (Mie Bakso)soup for dinner , whoopie pies for snack (*again ???*) and I need hand nail polish too - WHAT ???

She said, every girl in her class room (she is just 1st grade) having a pretty nail polish .. OMG .. in 7 she might asking for leg shaving ? LOL - no one know what on her mind ..

Ok, since I'm still in good mood of baking I agree with her request , here is another batch of whoopie pies... wuhuuuuu ....  And Happy Weekend everyone, thank you for stopping by .  I really appreciate of your nice comments :)

Whoopie Pies with Salted Dulce de Leche
Recipe from : William Sonoma Blog

For the cookies:
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

For the filling:
4 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 Tbs. heavy cream
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 cup dulce de leche (caramel condense milk)

Directions :

To make the cookies, in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until blended. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into the bowl and beat just until blended. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough until firm, about 2 hours.
Space 2 racks evenly in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

With dampened hands, shape tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls. Place them firmly on the prepared pans, spacing them slightly apart and squishing them a little. You should have about 20 balls. Bake until the cookies are puffed and slightly firm, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pans about halfway through. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, make the filling: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until lightened. Stir in the cream and salt, to taste, on low speed, then stir in the dulce de leche until the filling is smooth.

Spread the flat side of half the cookies with a big dollop of the filling. Top each with a second cookie, placing the flat side on the filling. (You’ll probably have a bit more filling than you need, but if you’re like us, you’ll find a good use for it and will sneak spoonfuls here and there.) Refrigerate until the filling is set, at least 1 hour. Whoopie!

 

Makes 10-12 whoopie pies.

Banana Whoopie Pies

 

Its my fault - always buy banana every time to go grocery and you know what happened ? there is always 1 or 2 an old banana in the corner of pantry. And getting tired of banana bread, I decide to make a whoopie pie .. hmm.. surprise I do love this kind of little cookies. Easy peasy .. and I think my little one and my cookie monster (eer.. my hubby, I mean) will like it too

 

Banana Whoopie Pie
Ingredients : - make 12

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup sour cream or any kind of plain yoghurt
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Combine banana and sour cream in another bowl.

2. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed, until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, beating until incorporated. Add banana mixture in 2 additions, alternating with flour mixture.

3. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Pipe batter into 1 1/4-inch rounds on baking sheets, spacing rounds 1 1/2 inches apart.

4. Bake until edges are golden, about 12 minutes. Slide parchment, with cookies, onto wire racks. Let cool. (Unfilled cookies can be stored for up to 1 day.)

5. Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.

6. Pipe or spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture onto the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately.

what a beautiful name

 

Hi there : how are you ? Hope you enjoy your fall season, or may be in other side of world are enjoying Spring season.

Our flowers and tree leaves are not change colors yet, may be in 2 3 weeks the colors change to become more peak than today. Well, I'm not really enjoy the weather change - in mid east sometime the weather is too nasty. Is just beginning of Fall and we already turn on the heater.. ooh, hope not always like this other wise we will have a bad winter *cross finger, never happen*

Anyway, I had a chance to go to William Sonoma Store near by, and voila.. not to think twice I grab the baking pan, and here it goes.. Madeleines Cookies.. what a beautiful name, for the beautiful shape of cookies too.

The recipe is easy peasy .. every body can try and if you don't have a madeleines pan , don't worry just using your regular cookie pan it will work too.. *eem, a little bit cheating I mean - at least you still can try the taste of cookies ..don't you think ?

Here is the recipe , I got from William Sonoma website too.

Madeleines Cookies
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
and cooled
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)
 

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Using a pastry brush, heavily brush softened butter over each of the 12 molds in a madeleine pan, carefully buttering every ridge. Dust the molds with flour, tilting the pan to coat the surfaces evenly. Turn the pan upside down and tap it gently to dislodge the excess flour.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar and salt. Using a wire whisk or a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat vigorously until pale, thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. Sprinkle the sifted flour over the egg mixture and stir or beat on low speed to incorporate.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the lemon zest and half of the melted butter just until blended. Fold in the remaining melted butter.

Divide the batter among the prepared molds, using a heaping tablespoon of batter for each mold. Bake the madeleines until the tops spring back when lightly touched, 8 to 12 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and invert it over a wire rack, then rap it on the rack to release the madeleines. If any should stick, use your fingers to loosen the edges, being careful not to touch the hot pan, and invert and rap again.

Let the madeleines cool on the rack for 10 minutes. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the tops with confectioners sugar and serve. Makes 12.

Meringue is..

 

I might not pay attention, when my husband talked to me. I was busy baking, and he said : 'why don't you bake cookies that the taste so airy and melted on mouth?'

No idea, what he's talked about. I just ignore him, until yesterday, I saw that I had tons of left over white eggs from baking layer cake on fridge. And remember what my hubby said, 'aah.. may be he want this cookies, meringue..but can't tell what the name is'

I made several batch of cookies, and serve for him for afternoon snack. With hand full of meringue, he said : "No, not this one, the one that you made and everybody like it.. that you put filling in the centre" OOOOOOH...!! I know what he mean, he want 'Macaroon'

Jeez, who didn't pay attention than ? Him ? who always like to eat my cookies but don't care with the name of cookies or me ? with many things on mind .. LOL ..

Ok, never mind, after all, he like it, my daughter like it.. next time I bake again.

Indeed, meringue is so light, so airy, can't stop eating this.. so somebody must to blamed !
Meringue Kiss Cookies
Ingredients:

4 eggs whites
1 cup sugar
pinch of tartar, (can substitute with lemon juice)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Food coloring/dye of your choice

Directions:
Line to bake sheets with parchment and heat oven to 225 F

Place sugar, egg whites and tartar in a bowl over (not on) simmering water. Constantly whisk the egg whites until the sugar has dissolved.

Pour the egg mixture into a clean bowl. Using a whisk attachment on a stand mixer or a hand held mixture, slowly beat egg mixture. Add in vanilla extract and any food coloring if you are using it. Gradually increase speed and continue to beat mixture until stiff peaks have almost formed. Mixture is ready when whisk attachment dipped into mixture leaves a curled but stiff peak when removed.

Transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a close or open star tip or what ever design you prefer, making sure to set them one inch apart from one another. Bake at 225 degrees F for 45 minutes, then turn off oven and leave the door slightly ajar for meringues to cool down with the oven. Store meringue cookies in an airtight container away from any heat or moisture. Alternatively, store them in the freezer where they can be enjoyed straight from the freezer without any defrosting

Pisang Molen Keju // Banana Wrapped in pastry

It's only me or others feel the same like I do ? I always miss my home town, my extended families especially during Ramadan. I miss the moments while we were a little, mom prepared snack - a sweet's stuff for iftar before we continue with together pray.
Actually I don't really care to make dessert for iftar (the evening meal for breaking fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan) especially when summer like this, our fasting is getting longer than others. We start since 4.30am till 8.30pm. So, no time to snacking off course.
But not this snack that I've been craving since see the recipe from my talented fellow blogger, mba Hesti - thought I gain 1 lbs everytime visiting her blog .. *grin*

Here is the copy of recipe I got from her. You can use ready to use puff pastry instead but to me, I always want to get as close as the original taste, so it's fine for me to spend more time for preparing to get a very delicious Pisang Molen Keju as like I always get from bread store at Bandung area a very long time ago.

PISANG MOLEN KEJU

250 gr tepung terigu
30 gr gula pasir
2 kuning telur
125 gr butter + 1 sdm butter (Hesti using 125gr korsvet)
1/2 sdt garam (skip if use salted butter)

Filling
Pisang Raja yang matang (kukus, potong-potong)
Keju (i used cheddar slice)
gula pasir atau susu kental manis
1 kuning telor + 1 sdt madu untuk olesan

Cara Membuat :
1. Kulit Pastry campur terigu, gula, garam, aduki rata, tambahkan kuning telor dan air, aduk kembali . Terakhir tambahkan 1 sdm butter. Bulatkan, simpan di kulkas selama 15 menit.

2. Keluarkan dari kulkas , giling membentuk persegi panjang,isi dengan 125gr butter dingin, Tutup dari bagian yang tidak mencapai butter ke tengah lipatan. Giling lagi , dan lipat kembali seperti cara pertama. Lakukan sebanyak 4x lipatan. Simpan kembali di kulkas.

3. Giling tipis adonan , potong kotak (exact square) taburi tengah adonan dengan gula pasir atau susu kental manis sedikit, beri potongan pisang raja, beri irisan keju (Fitri : pakai setengah irisan keju cheddar slice), Beri gula sedikit diatas nya. Lipat seperti amplop. Oles dengan kuning telur yang telah di campur madu.

3. Letakkan di baking pan, beri jarak, panggang sampai kuning ke-emasan. (Fitri : 350 F selama 20menit)

Note :
- if you need translation of this recipe, please send me message.
- I've been tried short cut before using 'ready to use, puff pastry' the result was puff very nicely on the oven, 10 minute after left oven.. the pastry is shrink.. eeeerrr.. so, to me, the best way is made from stratch.

Banana Chocolate Chips Cookies

Sunday morning, daylight saving time is ends .. mean is we can sleep 1 hour longer than usual . But my body still not adjust yet, is like having alarm on your brain, right the way I woke up in the same time like always. Uuugh. .. what should I do ? don't you think Sunday is the perfect day to become lazy ? and the other hand I didn't go for jogging today, since I went jogging yesterday afternoon.

Went to the kitchen, try not to make too much noise, since the little one still deeply sleep (ooh, maybe like others parent , I love to see my innocent baby face while she is sleep like that.. so peaceful) . Too early to make my own breakfast, and I saw 2 ugly-looking bananas in the corner of the kitchen table. Right the way, I peel them, smashed and olalaaa.. I already baking chocolate banana cookies early Sunday morning *grin* And, the aroma of cookies wake my daughter up too .. she went to the kitchen , ask permission to get a very special Sunday breakfast .. COOKIES !! yup .. in a second she finished 2 yummy delicious cookies ..

I admit, I fell in love with this cookie too .. so soft, chewy and healthy too LOL ... well, there is banana inside of the cookies .. what you think ?

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients :

1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or if you have banana extract will be perfect !!
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips


Directions :
In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, banana and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Yield: 3 dozen.

Note : if you like add 1 tbsp chocolate powder, and subtitute chocolate chips with white choco chips

(please, make 2 times of this recipe ! you don't want people fight over this delicious cookies :D )

old time memories..

Bring back my old time memories ! that what i try to do before eid fitri celebration coming this Tuesday - Insya Allah . My mom used to sew clothes for me and my sisters before eid clebration a very long time ago. Yup, she sew clothes for everybody , not only for us but for neighbor too.  She made money with her skill.  And a couple days before eid , she will be busy in the kitchen too .  She baked, she cooked , she prepared everything , the smell of cookies filled the air, sometime made us hungry and couldn't wait to taste .. to bad, we must to obey what she said, wait until fasting break.  And than she will give us a little amount of cookies to try and kept the rest for eid celebration day. Oh, that memory is always come to my mind especially during ramadan like this time.

Soon we will celebrate Eid fitri too, like my mom did , this time i do the same to my little one, i sewing a simple dress for her just to remind me how happy i was wear a new dress and walked around neighborhood. As you can guess, a fabric stores is more like a big playground to me. I will forget about the time while I'm in there. Silly me, while others enjoy been around jewelry store, i chose fabric store instead LOL. 

look what a beautiful fabrics i bought , oh well.. 

And baking an old time style cookies for celebration is another exciting moment to me too.  I choose one of my mom recipe with a different shape of cookies off course , we call Nastar .  Nastar is a small cookies filled with pineapple jam, delightful snap through the day, and become the most famous and the most wanted treats on big holiday such as Christmas, New Year eve and Eid in Indonesia.

NASTAR // Pineapple Tarts Recipe

Pineapple Filling


Ingredients:
4 large pineapples
300 g sugar
1 clove
1 inch cinnamon stick

Method:
1. Slice and grate pineapples till fine. You can use a food processor do grate it.
2. Strain the grated pineapple till dry.
3. Let it simmer in a wok toll the juice has dry up. Add sugar and, cinnamon stick and clove.
4. Stir till the pineapple filling is thick, sticky and dry.
5. Leave to cool and shape into small balls.

Note : make the filling in advance and refrigerate it.

Pastry

Ingredients:
500 g butter (or mix between butter and margarine is ok too)
100 g powdered sugar
4 egg yolks
700 g all purpose flour
200 gr edam cheese, granted
4 tbsp milk powder
1 tsp vanilla essence

Egg Brush
1 egg yolk plus 1Tbsp water


Method:
1.Preheat oven at 150° C.
2.Cream butter and sugar till white.
3.Add in egg yolks and beat at low speed for 1 minute.
4.Fold in flour gradually.
5.For pineapple cookies basket like mine : just roll a small dough between Ziploc bag, cut into a circle shape and put into a small pie cup. Or the simple way just make like a small ball.
6.Put the rolled pineapple filling onto the pastry
7.Brush with egg brush.

8.Bake for 30 minutes or when tarts is light golden brown in color.

When my arms can’t reach people close to my heart.

I always hug them with my prayers.

May allah’s peace be with you.

A very happy eid mubarak to you, my friends

life is so fragile..

This story happened last week, to be exact was on Good-Friday. When tornadoes touch down at my city. It was a huge mess, so devastating to see resident lost their property, the tornadoes blew everything away, our International Airport was shutdown for weekend. The report said that Good-Friday storm was the worst the region has seen in more than 40 years. People are going to remember this for a long time. :(

photo courtesy of : AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

My heart's broken when i passed the tornadoes-area this morning, which is just 5 minutes away from my place ..property damage was significant, many homes destroyed with major damages. That give me a real lesson, that life is so fragile. Life just turn up side down in a second. to get more information about 'good-Friday' tornadoes or like to make any donation please check this website : KSDK.COM or AmericanRedCross

So, how are you doing ? is your life been busy lately ? when the last time you called your friend, family, mom, dad, sister, just to say HI ? please call .. and you will be glad that they always fine. And this might what our friends feel when they know that we are doing OK.

This time I would like to say thank you to Mable Tan, who sent me a very pretty postcards, OMG .. her postcards made me hungry .. there is a lot of food pictures from her kitchen :) Check her site, and you will know what I'm talking about :) Thank you, dear..

Chocolate Chips Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

chocolate-ginger biscotti & mural painting

OOH .. WOOWW.. !! Spring is really here, nice weather, still chilled a bit , no complain for sure ! flowers are coming, birds are chirping .. what a lovely weather. And I've been busy around home , let see .. what I've done so far ? painting a spare room , cleaning around the garden, preparing veggie patch .. well, all kind activity i never imagine to do by myself before. Well, back to the time I lived in my country, we spoiled by the maid, yuup . don't think that we are come from rich people .. NO..NO, overseas *in my country i talked about* almost every household has maid. The labor expense are so cheap , no surprise everyone spoiled by maid :O

Not, here ... in US , everyone need more active and creative. Well .. you can pay helper, but the cost will make you pull hair for sure :)

Anyway, after wait for long time, finally, i got an empty room on basement. I tought it will be nice if i have a craft room and playing room for my daughter, so I decide to paint a little bit. But you know, type of me .. can't stop doing things. I know i will get bored with plain color pretty soon,and than i got an idea to add some picture on it.. after 3 weeks, the mural painting still going.. hmm, between.. painting, cooking, baking, taking picture, take care of husband and kid ^LOL^ what you can expect ?? finishing on the time ? NO WAY .. but that is ok to me, little by little i try to catch everything.

here we go i give you a sneak peak , my craft room (wanna be :P )

OK! Back to baking, for sure I still doing that but not take many pictures anymore. This time (and again) I bake another batch of biscotti . And I remember how my sister complained about biscotti recipe, she said, even dog can chew them. I was laughed so loud, I forgot to tell her that we need to bake for a shorter time to make them softer than the traditional version. Well.. Me, too .. I loves soft biscotti *this will avoid you to see your dentist often too .. right ? :O

Chocolate-ginger biscotti

Ingredients: Makes about 15-20 cookies

1 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp table salt

1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped

1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a baking sheet, set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, beat until well combine, scrapping down sides of bowl if necessary

Mix in oil and vanilla ; add flour mixture, and stir to form a stiff dough. Stir in chocolate, nuts and ginger by hand.

Because the dough is too sticky, I keep into the refrigerator for a while until dough is easy to handle. Divide the dough in half and roll into logs about 12 by 4 inches.

Place onto cookie sheet lines with parchment

Bake until slightly firm, about 25 minutes, cool on wire rack for about 5 minute.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

On a cutting board , using a sharp serrated knife, but biscotti diagonally into 1-inch-tick slice. Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on baking sheet, and bake until crisp but still slightly soft in the center, about 8 minute.

Remove and cool at room temperature