Swedish Heirloom Cookies

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"We've begun to raise daughters more like sons... but few have the courage to raise our sons more like our daughters" -Gloria Steinem

Somebody posted this quote on New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof’s facebook wall on International Women's day. Reading the quote made me seriously think about how I am raising my kids. I kept thinking it is so true how we tell our girls that they don’t have to be pushed aside in sports or study and how they are equally equipped like their male counterparts to take on challenges. However, when it comes to my son I wondered if I am making sure that I talk to him about being polite and gentle, and being more thoughtful about how he behaves in public like I educate my girl.

Pecan Sandies & Happy Holidays !

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Happy Holidays to all you dear readers of Collaborative Curry! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones.

Almond Shortbread Wedges

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Hello everyone ! How is it going? It's been ages,I know ! I really missed you all and the blogging, a lot.

I had a wonderful vacation in Kerala. Though I got back a couple of weeks back,it took me this long to jot down something here. I could give you zillion reasons for that,but I don't want to waste your precious time. In a nutshell,it goes something like this : a long jet lag,a birthday,a sick kiddo,a lazy mom,the heat etc. etc.

Pecan Logs- A Guest Post For Ambika's Kitchen

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I am so happy and honored to be a guest in Ambika's Kitchen, beautiful vegetarian kitchen ! Thanks Ambika,for this opportunity to get to know your readers.Also thanks for patiently waiting for this post even past the deadline,you are a sweet heart !

I have been blogging for almost 3 years now and I am so happy and proud about it. Blogging has given me a lot of new friends and opportunities to learn so many new things every day.I am so glad to be a part of this wonderful community !

Merry X'mas and a note on Kerala Fruit cake

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Wishing you the joy of family, the happiness of friends, and the love of Christmas!




I get a lot of doubts and questions about the Kerala Fruit/Plum cake every year and I thought I should note them down here for any future reference.

Pfefferneusse

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Christmas is just around the corner,yeah ! I love every single thing about the holiday season-the snow, the festive lights,the presents, the scrumptious smells,and most of all,the magic of the season.Hope everyone is geared up for the big,festive day.Here is another magnificent type of cookie,full of christmas spirit and spice.

Christmas Fruit Cake/Kerala Spiced Plum Cake & Wish you all a very Merry Christmas !

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  It’s Christmas and we wish you a very merry one.  Finally, I am done with the marathon cookie baking and packing it off to friends.  Now, it’s my time to just sit looking at all the festive decoration inside and outside the house.  Well, I can't sit around too long because there are a lot of visits to be made to celebrate with friends. 

  Being from Kottayam, Kerala, it was difficult even while I was growing up to ignore Christmas.  Even though I am not of the Christian faith celebrations for Christmas was carried out at my house to match any of my Christian neighbors.  I grew up hanging colorful paper-stars in front of the house on the 1^st of December an age old tradition.  Schools had "best Crib Contests," and I would positively participate.  On the 24^th evening we blasted those crackers louder than any of our neighbors or so I would like to believe.  It was just a lot of fun and I love this festival for everything it stands for.
 


  I know from my nieces and nephews from Kerala they still continue to make Christmas crib.  The last time I called them, they were all excited about the thought of making it.
 
My parent’s house is on a high range and during this time of the year, the mornings are misty.  If you wake up early you can see the clouds touching the earth.  In my mind it symbolizes blessings from heaven.  And here in the U.S. snow flakes take over doing its slow swaying dance to the ground.  Oh! I could just go on about how everything touches me so deeply getting me excited about celebrating.  It’s a perfect time to holiday and I am having fun.  I hope wherever you are you having a good time as well. 



  Even today I continue the tradition of celebrating Christmas with light decorations in the house and bake all kinds of goodies.  Therefore, we have another fruit cake recipe for you.  You can find another on this site here.   Today the recipe I am sharing is a spiced version.  The basic procedures are the same except for the addition of spices. However, that changes everything giving a whole new twist to the cake.  This one is delicious too!

Again, wish you all a very Merry Christmas !!



Ingredients:

Flour- 1 cup
Butter- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick)
Dried Fruits and nuts soaked in Rum/Brandy for several months or several days or several hours - 1 1/2 cup
Rum or Brandy from the marination/fresh- 2 Tbsp
Baking Powder- 3/4 tsp
Eggs- 3 large, separated
Granulated Sugar- Scant 1 cup
Candied Orange peel- 2-3 Tbsp
Powdered Nutmeg- 1/8 tsp
Cinnamon- 1/2 tsp
Powdered Cloves- 1/8 tsp
Powdered Cardamom- 1/8 tsp
Caramel Syrup at room temperature- ~1/3 cup (use 1/2 cup sugar to caramelize and finally add 1/4 cup hot water and mix. See here)
Pure Vanilla Extract- 1 tsp

Method:

Making Candied Orange peel:

1.Dry the orange peel by either letting them sit on your counter top for a few days or near the fireplace/warm oven.Chop them into small pieces.
2.Take sugar in the ratio 1:1 with the orange peel and add a couple of spoons of water and make a syrup by boiling, till it reaches one string consistency.
3.Throw in the dried orange peel into this and mix well to coat the syrup evenly on the pieces.
4.Let it dry completely.

Making Caramel Syrup

Sunitha has explained it well in this post.Take enough care while doing this.And let it cool completely before you add into the cake mixture.

Making the Cake:(Copied as such form our earlier post!)

Beating Egg White:
1. It may be a good practice to beat the egg white stiff before you start on the main cake batter. Please make sure you use a dry bowl and a dry blade when you beat the egg white. Any trace of water, grease or egg yolk in the white will not give the desired fluffy frothy egg white. Beating the egg white stiff is very important to give a light and fluffy texture to the cake. Make sure all the egg white has been beaten stiff before you clean the blade and wipe it dry before you start mixing the batter.

Mixing the Batter:
1. Sift the flour,spices and baking powder twice and keep aside (sifting allows the baking powder to be mixed well with the flour)
2. Beat the butter well first before adding the sugar. Gradually add the sugar beating well after each addition. Remember also to gradually increase the speed of your blender from low to medium after all the sugar has been blended in. Taking time and beating the butter and sugar goes a long way to aerate the butter and to give a moist, fluffy texture to your cake
3. Add in the egg yolk and beat well
4. Add the vanilla essence beat well
5. Follow up with cool caramelized sugar
6. Spoon in the flour a little at a time and fold in to mix.
7.Toss the fruit and nut mixture with a tablespoon of flour and fold in the 3/4 of this and the candied orange peel alternating with the flour.
8.Now gently fold in the egg whites until not even a single white streak is left.
9. If you find watery egg white which did not froth do not use it or only use after beating it fluffy
10. Pour the batter in a 9 inch pan and add the remaining fruit and nut mixture left.Even out the surface with a spatula and bake in a preheated oven at 350 D F for 40-45 minutes
11. When a toothpick pricked comes out clear the cake is done.
12.Cool it on a wire rack.Brush with some rum/brandy and keep it covered well with a parchment paper, at least for a couple of days before you cut and serve them.

Notes:

1.Use the butter and eggs which are kept long enough outside the refrigerator and have reached room temperature.
2.Beating egg whites separately makes a huge difference in this cake.
3.Adding some fruit and nut mixture at the end on the top ensures that there is some mixture on the top too.

We wish you all a Great Holiday Season !!!



Last but not the least we have a good news to share with you all. Our Boondi Ladoo recipe has been selected as one of the 30 Best Recipes of 2010 ,a wonderful event hosted by Chacko's kitchen. Congratulations to all other winners and we are so glad that we made it to the top 30 :-)

Contributor: Namitha
Recipe Adapted From: Sunu and Sunitha, my dear friends :-)

Crescent Cookies

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It is cold in Colorado. Last week we had a few snow showers and the mercury levels remain low ever since. So I decided to do what I love to do in this weather-baking.December is always a bake-a-thon time for me and this year is no exception.

Red Velvet Cake

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So, what are your plans for Valentine's Day? Stay in and cozy up or go out and paint the town red?  Whichever, I hope this red velvet cake will bring a smile to your face.  This is a great cake with its color and rich taste which will be a surprise for your special one.

   As for me, I treat the day as any other. If that sounds cynical, blame it on my husband who does not give a hoot about Valentine’s Day.  Another festival lost to capitalism and conjured up by Hallmark is what he will say. Oh Well!  That sure doesn't mean I can't eat this cake, right?




But I have some good memories of this day.  More like quirky, fun-filled ones.  We had some strange happenings in our college around Feb 14th.  Some guys came up with a club called ALFA! It was a big deal those days, and this club only gave entry to young men.  As for us girls, (I don’t write young ladies by choice) we were happy giggling and gossiping.  Questions that reigned supreme in our conversations were “Who will be given Valentine’s day cards, who will get flowers, and who the hell will be proposed to.  Oh! We discussed it endlessly and sought great entertainment from it.  I know I sound antiquated but hey, it’s my life.



In the mean time, the men folk, especially ALFA seemed to be in a flutter on the 15^th.  You ask why after the big day?

Well, ALFA stands for Aloysius Love Failure Association.  The club just grew out of proportion enough to break at its seams on this day.  We girls were too prim and proper (at least to the public eye), and gave those boys a run.  We were playing hard to get!


Those were the days! 



(Remember the old Will Filter Cigarette ad? The slogan read “‘made for each other, filter and tobacco perfectly matched – Taste that truly satisfies time after time.”)

Disclaimer: I do not like smoking and neither my husband nor I smoke.  This is just metaphorical, I like the ad slogan.

Should I tell you anything about the cake?  Take my word for it; it’s the best cake for the day! Red velvet and Valentine’s Day – Made for each other.

Okay! Don’t throw things at me now.  I am done talking!




For the cake:

Flour- 2 1/2 cups
Baking soda- 1 tsp
Eggs- 2
Sugar- 1 3/4 cups
Oil- 1 1/2 cup
Buttermilk- 1 cup
Milk- 3 Tbsp
Cocoa powder- 2 Tbsp
White vinegar- 1 Tbsp
Pure Vanilla Extract-1 tsp
Red food color- 2 oz


Cream Cheese frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups confectioners’ sugar

Method:

1.Preheat the oven at 350 degree F. Grease and flour two 9 inch pans.
2.Lightly beat the eggs.
3.Add the other wet ingredients and mix well.
4.Whisk together the dry ingredients.
5.Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients by beating everything together for a couple of minutes.
6.Divide equally among the pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until a tester inserted comes out clean.
7.Cool completely on a wire rack.
8.Meanwhile make the frosting by mixing everything together. Start with the cream cheese and butter at room temperature.
9.Frost one cake on the top and keep the other one on top.Frost on the top and the sides too.
10.Refrigerate any left overs.



Contributor: Namitha
Recipe adapted from : Bakerella and here

Melting Moments

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  Happy New Year everyone!! Hope you all had a wonderful start to the New Year.  We were at a nice party with friends on New Year’s Eve.

  I cannot believe it’s already 2011.  Where did 2010 go? I was just getting used to writing the date with a ’10, and now I have to start writing it as ‘11. With time flying, the kids seem to be growing up quickly too, every day, every moment. Lil imp is 2 1/2 and he is the funniest ever. Now, he understands everything we say and knows the difference between 'I' and 'you' very well.  (He used to have trouble getting 'I' and 'you,' for example he would say “you are hungry” when he means he is hungry.)  He hates "time outs" and hates my high pitched voice.  The other day I was raising my voice to convince him of something and he told me "amma, time out!"  I just stood there wondering if I should laugh or keep the angry face till I got my way.  Kids! What do we do with them, what do we do without them!  Another year has been granted to figure out the puzzles of life and I welcome it with a grateful heart.

  Happy New Year again and may you have sweet melting moments!



It was snowing outside and seems like my kitchen too ;)



These just melt in your mouth, just like the name suggests ;-)



Happy New Year to you all !!




Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour- 1 1/2 cup
Cornstarch- 1/2 cup
Salt- a pinch
Confectioner's sugar- 1/3 cup
Unsalted Butter- 1 cup
Pure Vanilla Extract- 1 tsp

For dusting:

3/4 cup sifted confectioner's sugar

Method:

1.Whisk together the flour, corn starch and salt in a mixing bowl.
2.Beat the butter and sugar until it is creamy.
3.Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
4.Add the flour mixture and beat well to mix everything.
5.Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes or until it is firm.
6.Preheat the oven at 350 degree F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
7.Make 1 inch balls out of the dough and place them on the prepared cookie sheets, an inch apart.
8.bake for about 12 minutes or until the sides start to brown.
9.Cool on a wire rack for a couple of minutes.
10.Meanwhile line a baking sheet with parchemnt paper and sprinkle confectioner's sugar over it.Place the cookies on the paper and sprinkle more sugar through a sieve, on the top.
11.Cool them completely before storing.

Recipe Adapted From: Joy of baking
Contributor: Namitha

Gingerbread Cookies

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I have been baking a lot these days, mostly cookies, to give friends and also for us. Yesterday we finished the last batch of cookies and the kids had a fun time (and their mom had a not-so-fun time!) decorating them.  Are you all set for the holidays?

Gingerbread cookie is a classic and indicative of this holiday season more than any other cookie in my opinion.  My daughter decorated the Ginger Bread cookies and by the time my son awoke from his nap we were glad to have been done with them.  But there was no way of escaping him from helping out with sprinkling some edible pearl on the sugar cookies.  (If you want to bake sugar cookies, here is the link)

Traditional cookies that are a treat to the eyes and to the tummy, especially for you!



This is how our Gingerbread Men look like ;-) My kids enjoyed making buttons for them



My dining table was looking so festive with all these and some Sugar cookies I made (you could see them in the goodie bag, green color X'mas trees)




Gingerbread X'mas Tree, decorated by my 9 year old :-)




Ingredients:

All purpose Flour- 3 cups
Baking Soda- 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 1/2 tsp
Ginger Powder- 1 tsp
Nutmeg Powder- 1/4 tsp
Ground Cloves- 1/4 tsp
Freshly Ground Black Pepper- 1/4 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp

Unsalted Butter- 1/2 cup
Vegetable Shortening- 2 Tbsp
Granulated white sugar- 1/2 cup
Unsulfured molasses- 2/3 cup
Egg- 1 large

Method:

1.Sift together the flour, salt , baking soda and spices into a large mixing bowl.
2.Beat together the butter (at room temperature) and shortening till they are combined well.
3.Add in the sugar and beat till it is creamy.
4.Add the molasses (spray your measuring cup with oil so that it will not stick) and beat well.
5.Beat in the egg too.
6.Slowly fold in the flour mixture till everything is combined well.
7.Make 2 equal sized discs out of the dough and cover them with plastic wrap and chill for at least a couple of hours or until the dough is hard enough to roll.
8.Preheat the oven at 350 degree F and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
9.Take out the dough and wait for a few minutes before you start to roll it.
10.Lightly flour the surface and roll out the dough until it is 1/8 inch thick and using a cookie cutter cut into desired shapes and keep them on the baking sheets.
11.Chill the cut cookie dough again for 10 minutes before you bake them.
12.Bake for about 12 minutes or until the sides start to brown.
13.Cool on wire rack and decorate once it is completely cooled.
14.Store them in an airtight container after the icing is completely dry.





For Royal Icing:

Confectioner's sugar- 1 cup
Vanilla extract- 1/2 tsp
Egg whites poder/Meringue powder- 3/4 Tbsp
Warm water- 2 Tbsp

1.Mix the egg whites powder and warm water using a whisk, till it is frothy.
2.Mix in the confectioner's sugar and beat till it is very stiff and shiny.
3.Transfer into a pastry bag with a narrow tip and decorate the cookies.


Notes:

1.The original recipe called for light brown sugar instead of white sugar.
2.The icing hardens really fast, so keep any unused icing covered.
3.If you do not have a pastry bag then fill the icing in a ziploc bag, zip the bag and cut a small edge in one of the corners and decorate (That's what I did ;-)
4.This gives about 3 dozen cookies.

Last but not the least We would like to share a goodie bag with you all, the wonderful readers of Collaborative Curry, to say Happy Holidays !!!



Contributor: Namitha
Recipe Adapted From : Foodnetwork.com

Thumbprint Cookies

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"Give me more!" I am telling you, these cookies have that effect!  Hopefully, baking cookies is on top of your list because that’s what I have got for you today.  Thumb print cookies with a dollop of preserves. Yummy!

 Not only cookies, wine and other baked goods fill my mind, but also Christmas songs.  I refer especially to the popular number “Jingle Bells".  My lil imp can sing the first two lines of this one, and sometimes sings it at the most unreasonable of times, I should say.  Check out what happened to us recently while shopping.  It borders bizarre.

So, the other day we were in a shop, and my son with his endearing smile and big eyes won the shop owner's heart.  It’s not a marketing tactic, but my sons charm is what I would like to believe, I insist.  The lady offered him a pick of stickers from a loaded tray.  She said pick up what you like, and my son grabbed the whole tray.  Whoa! In my embarrassment and trying to teach my boy some manners I said ever so sweetly “No, not the tray just a couple of stickers.” Ah.. hem!,  he turned around, rolled his eyes at me meaning ‘keep out of this!’  You know what happens next, I rolled my eyes and insisted, "No!"  And then to my shock my son broke into singing, “Jingle Bells!” and hopping mad all at one!  OMG! Can you see my embarrassment.  It was palpable.  I had a terribly upset child singing jingle bells hopping mad in a crowded department store! Can you believe this?

I prayed: May the earth open and take me into her chasm but nothing of the sort happened.  The saving grace was the understanding customers and shop keepers.  They took it jest laughed and smiled.  However, I could not but over hear people say “Now angry child singing in frustration is a first!”

   My daughter did this too!  Is this strange????? Oh! Please do tell me you have had an experience like this with your child.  If you don’t I will be forced to believe I am having some strange happenings going on with my kids. 


Now to restore sanity lets all go bake!.  Enjoy :)

Ingredients:

Flour- 1 cup
Egg,large- 1 separated
Unsalted Butter- 1/2 cup
Salt- a pinch
Granulated White sugar- 1/4 cup
Pure Vanilla Extract- 1/2 tsp
Finely chopped,lightly toasted Nuts- ~3/4 cup
Jam/Preserve of your choice- 1/4 cup

Method:

1.Beat the butter and sugar till it is smooth and fluffy.
2.Add the egg yolk and beat until everything is combined well.
3.Add the vanilla and salt and mix well.
4.Now add the flour and beat well until it is mixed into the wet mixture.
5.Keep the dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
6.Beat the egg white lightly, till it is frothy.
7.Spread the chopped nuts on a plate.
8.Preheat the oven at 350 degree F.
9.Roll out the dough into 1 inch balls and dip them in the prepared egg white.Roll them in the chopped nuts and keep on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
10.Now using your thumb/the back of a wooden spoon make indentation on the top of each cookie.
11.Do the same for the rest of the dough.Keep the cookies one inch apart.
12.Bake for about 15-16 minutes or until the nuts are browned well.
13.Cool on a wire rack and store in airtight container.
14.Fill the cookies with 1/4 tsp of jam just before you serve.

Notes:

1.You could use any nuts of your choice for making this. I used a mixture of Pecan and Almonds.
2.If you are planning to serve the cookies the same day you bake them, you could fill the jam before baking and you may have to extend the baking time for a couple of minutes. (I never tried this since I always store them for at least 2-3 days)
3.I toasted the nuts in microwave, on high for about 1 and a half minute.

Adapted from here and here.

Contributor: Namitha

Chocolate-chip Walnut Cookie

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The Christmas fever is not only on the radio, but my mail box is brimming with fliers that take more than a pair of hands to haul home!  The green, white and red colors permeate everywhere.  I am not complaining.  I love this season, and I am finding out that these fliers, as painful as they are for the mess it creates and the greed that it suggests, can also be useful.  Prop for photography is my suggestion.     

 

The recipe for this cookie is from 'Joy of Baking.’  It’s a nice, chewy cookie and I am loving the walnuts and chocolate chips incorporated into each bite .  Last year, around this time, I made a lot of cookies with a friend of mine which I have shared on the blog.  This year, I have to do this by myself, but fondly remember all my friends. 

 

  

During this season of love and gratitude, I have many things to be thankful for - especially friends.  Whether you have a reason or not, bake some these cookies, if only to relish the decadence.   

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour - 2 1/4 cup
Butter                   - 1 cup
Sugar                    - 3/4 cup
Brown Sugar         - 3/4 cup
Eggs                      - 2
Vanilla                   - 1 1/2 tspn
Baking Soda         - 1 tspn
Salt                       - 1/2 tspn
Chocolate Chip     - 1 1/2 cups
Walnuts Chopped - 1 Cup

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 D F
2. Mix together flour, salt and baking soda and set aside
3. Take a large bowl and using a hand mixer beat butter and sugar till creamy
4. Add egg one at a time beating well after each addition
5. Add the vanilla essence and then add the flour mixture in and on low speed blend in the flour
6. Now add the chopped walnut and mix.
7. Using spatula incorporate the chocolate chip cookie into the batter so that the chocolate chip don't break
8. Drop 2 Tbspn of batter onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until edges of the cookie turn color

This recipe is from joy of baking website.  I have not adapted much except that I used bitter chocolate chip cookie which is my personal preference.  All credits to joy of baking it is a wonderful recipe.  Please find the original here. 

Courtesy: Joy of Baking

Contributor: Sunitha

Chocolate Swiss Roll

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Do you remember jam rolls? I remember them from my childhood – they were a lovely yellow with a bright, red filling inside! The color and its effect on you are so strong that you could never leave the bakery without at least half-dozen tucked away in those infamous brown, bakery bags. Writing this much brings a plethora of other baked goods to mind. I used to especially love the horn pastry with snow-white cream filling embellished with a ruby-colored cherry! They resemble an ice-cream cone. Yumm! Just day dreaming about these sweets gives me a sugar high.

Moving on to what we are going to share with you today, although different from the jam rolls that are making my mouth water right now, these sweet rolls are delectable nonetheless! I have been practicing these rolls, and after a couple of mishaps, I feel confident enough to share with you now.

Sneak peek into the process.



This was the second time I made this and the roll disappeared in no time.(at the first time I couldn't even take a picture ! )



Ingredients:

Eggs- 3 large, separated
Granulated Sugar- 1/2 cup
Cake flour- 1/2 cup
Baking powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt- a pinch
Cocoa Powder- 1 1/2 Tbsp
Hot water- 2 Tbsp
Pure Vanilla extract- 1/2 tsp

For the filling:

Heavy whipping cream- 1 cup
Confectioner's sugar- 1 to 2 Tbsp
Pure vanilla extract- a few drops

Method:

1.Preheat the oven at 350 degree F. Grease and dust a jelly roll pan. (this recipe is for 10 1/2 by 15 1/2 inch pan). It's better to line with a parchment paper and grease it well.You could see that I didn't do it, so it was bit difficult for me to take out the cake.
2.Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
3.Beat the yolks with sugar. Add the hot water and beat again.
4.Add the cocoa and mix well.
5.Beat the egg whites till stiff peaks are formed.Make sure that your blades and the bowl you take is free from water and fat before you start beating egg whites.
6.Mix in the flour mixture into the yolk mixture.
7.Gently fold in the egg whites till it is completely incorporated.
8.Spoon into the prepared pan and spread the batter evenly as possible, using a spatula.
9.Bake for 8-10 minutes or the cake springs back on touch.
10. Cool in the pan for 3-4 minutes.
11.Invert the cake onto a parchment paper dusted with confectioner's sugar.
12.Roll the cake with the short side facing you, along with the paper.
13.Let the cake cool completely before you roll it with the filling.
14.Meanwhile you could make the filling by whipping the cream till peaks are formed.Add the sugar and vanilla and beat till everything is mixed well.
15.Unroll the cake and spread the cream on it, evenly.Leave about 1/2 an inch space at one end.(I messed up this part. I left some space , but I was talking to my son and started rolling it from the other side !)
16.Now roll it without the parchment paper, but use the paper to make the roll by lifting it from the side slowly as you can see in the picture.
17.Refrigerate the roll for at least 3-4 hours before you cut it.
18.Use a sharp serrated knife or kitchen thread to cut the rolls.(I wasn't patient enough to wait,read my kids weren't, that's why it has broken in some points !)

Notes:

1.You may not get it all right at the first attempt, or even at second :-) But I can guarantee you about the taste and texture.
2.The main point you have to remember while making rolls is that you must roll it while it is still hot. This helps to avoid any breaking.
3.As you all know, chocolate is notoriously sticky. So if you use a parchment paper to line the pan it is lot more easy.
4.Please wait at least for a few hours so that the cake is chiled well before you attempt to cut it.

Contributor: Namitha
Recipe adapted from here

Peanut Butter Cookies

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Every now and then I bake cookies. Cookies and coffee is breakfast, so it makes sense to bake them often. And when I don’t bake them some people at home go hungry for breakfast. (It’s just me and my husband at home). This week is different; we have plenty of peanut-butter cookies to fill our tummies every morning. There is this certain book, which inspired these cookies. Read on for more.



I got it from the library last weekend and it is on Swedish cakes and cookies. Beginning with the jacket, the book is delicious. The red and white checkered- jacket opens to reveal pastries, twists, turns (in the name of Danish) and more. I drool over the pages and find a lot of satisfaction just to sit on my couch, on dreary mornings, lusting over cookies. The book is Swedish Cakes and Cookies, published by Skyhorse Publishing Inc. in case you want to take a look at it yourself.



Ingredients:
Butter: 3/4 cup softened
Confectioners Sugar - 3/4 cup (I find this sugar less sweet compared to powdered sugar, you may use either)
Peanut Butter - 2/3 cup
Egg Yolk - 1 (I threw the white down the drain, you could make a egg white omelet in case you were wondering what to do with. Sorry, for butting in, this is becoming a habit.. do you thing :))
All-purpose Flour - 1 2/3 cups



Method
1. Beat the butter and sugar with a fork until fluffy
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix together with the fork to make a coarse dough
3. Use a pastry bag without any stencil/nib press out long strips on to the cookie sheet and bake in a 400 D F preheated oven for 8 minutes

P.S: If you like crochet you can visit my blog here to see some pictures

Changes Made from previous recipe to avoid blender to make the dough so as to get the ridges on the cookies

Contributor: Sunitha

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

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Chocolaty cookies with frosting that mirror my flower garden!

  Birthdays were the happiest occasions when I was young. (Between you and me, now they remind me that I'm not too far from wrinkles and white hair).  When in school, birthdays were the one day we could wear casual clothes to school, a change from the regular uniform.  I used to wait eagerly for my birthday to roll in to  show off my color dress (that's what we called casual clothes then) and distribute candy.  How things have changed now!

 For an example, when my daughter celebrated her birthday last week, it was different.   She wears casual clothes to school everyday, so then, how do you make it special?  She had an answer!  Dress up chocolate cookies, her favorite, for the occasion.  I am glad we decided to go with her instinct because the sugar cookies with frosting came out vibrant and festive.   

 To add to all that, since both my children helped to make the different shapes and frosting, it became a family event.  We had quite a good time in spite of all the spilling and mopping that comes with the territory of group activity.  It was with great restraint that we were all able to keep ourselves from licking. 

Which do you like the most? It's hard to choose, I know.

My daughter would say the one with purple icing, since that's her favorite color.  I am partial to this one too, because it is my own creation.  I added blue and red in 2:1 proportion to get the desired result.    When you are trying keep adding more red if you think you need to soften the blue further.     

Did you notice the sprinkles are little butterflies? Oh, yeah! They are, and it made my daughter's heart flutter with excitement and squeal with delight, every time we sprinkled some on. Childhood, such a delightful time!

Ingredients:

For Cookies:

All purpose Flour- 2 3/4 cup
Cocoa powder (preferably Dutch processed)- 3/4 cup
Baking Powder- 1 tsp
Salted Butter- 1/2 cup
Unsalted Butter- 1/2 cup
Granulated white sugar- 1 1/2 cup
Eggs- 2
Pure vanilla extract- 2 tsp

For Icing :

See here
But if you are making the above amount of cookies you may have to make double the amount for icing, but the proportions are the same.



Method:

1.Mix the flour,cocoa powder and baking powder by whisking together them in a large mixing bowl.
2.Beat the butter and sugar well in a bowl,until smooth and soft.
3.Add the eggs one at a time and beat well.
4.Pour the vanilla extract and mix well.
5.Mix the wet and dry ingredients to make a dough.
6.Divide the dough into 2 or 4 equal parts and make disc shape and wrap them in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until they are firm enough to roll.
7.Preheat the oven at 350 degree F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
8.When the dough is ready, take one disc from the fridge and roll it on a flat surface until it is about 1/4 inch thick and cut it with a cookie cutter to get your favorite shapes.
9.Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets and chill them for at least 15 minutes. This helps the cookies to retain their shape while baking.
10.Bake them for 10-12 minutes and cool on a wire rac before you do the frosting.
11.Meanwhile prepare the next batch of cookies and chill them before baking.
12.Prepare the frosting by mixing everything together and spoon it on the cookies. Let it dry,this may take several hours. Store them in an airtight container.



Sending this to From My home Kitchen's Chocolaty Dreams event
AND
Champa's Bake Off event

Notes:

1. Butter should be at room Temperature.
2.You could use the normal cocoa powder, if you don't have Dutch processed.I used a mixture of both :-)
3.According to the original recipe, Royal Icing is recommended. But I didin't have any Meringue powder at home and didn't want to take any Salmonella risk, by using the raw egg whites.
4. Makes around 4 dozen.

Recipe Adapted From: Joy of Baking

Contributor: Namitha