Walnut Shortbread Cookies

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Adapted from Miette: Recipes from San Francisco's Most Charming Pastry Shop

Ingredients:
Walnut pieces  -    ¼ cup
 All-purpose flour - 1¾ cup
Salt       -   ¼ tsp.
Unsalted butter,cold,  -   1 cup, cubed
Sugar    -   ¾ cup
Egg yolk  -   1

Method:
1.Toast the  walnuts(turn them every few minutes)  for about 10 minutes &/until they smell fragrant and set aside to cool. 
2. Preheat oven to 180 C.
3. Finely ground the now cooled nuts in a food processor(use the pulse mode)Refer Notes.
4.Combine the ground nuts, flour, and salt in a  bowl & set aside until needed.

5. Beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed using an electric beater until light and fluffy(about 4 min.). Scrape down the sides of the bowl & beat in the egg yolk until combined.

6. Now add the dry ingredients(flour+nuts+salt) & using a spatula mix until just combined.
7. Refrigerate the dough if it's too soft(for about 30 min.). My dough was way too soft to handle so I rolled  the dough into a log as shown.

8. Place the dough onto a parchment paper & tightly wrap/roll the parchment over the dough.
To avoid any flat side slide the rolled dough into a cylindrical tube as shown & freeze for 30 mins or so. Unwrap it and slice the dough. Of course do these only if your dough is very soft. Else just roll it out with a thickness of ¼" and cut the dough into 1" squares.Transfer the squares to a baking sheet, keeping them about 2" apart. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown.

9. Allow to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before removing the cookies from the pan and allowing them to cool completely. Store in an air tight container.

Notes:

• Do not over grind the walnuts unless you want walnut butter!

Red Currant Cookies

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              It was just recently that I came to know about currants. We do't get it in India (down south), living in The Emirates has it's own perks, the supermarkets are stocked with exotic fruits and vegetables. I came across these beauties this a few days back and was so excited that I couldn't wait to get home and pop it in my mouth. I returned home took out the currants washed and had one and guess what it was so SOUR! I was so disappointed , I had earlier made the same mistake with strawberries(it looked ripe :/). 

I mean look at them, they look sooo attractive and I seriously thought that it would be super sweet. Anyways I was in a fix, did not know what to do with the entire packet as I was hardly able to eat one, seeing my reaction my husband wouldn't even have one. Then as always google came to the rescue. I found a lot of recipes using red currants. I wanted to make a cake, but unfortunately the required amount of currants were more than what I had so ended up baking these cookies. I got the recipe from here. The cookies when baked & cooled is crispy and it becomes soft later on. The cookies where good, a combination of both sweet & sour.

Recipe source: eatinmykitchen
Ingredients:
All purpose flour                             -                   150 g.
oats                                                  -                    100 g.
salt                                                    -                   ¼ tsp.
baking soda                                      -                    a pinch
baking powder                                  -                    ½ tsp.
butter, softened(at room temp.)       -                     110 g.
granulated sugar                               -                    150 g.
ripe banana, mashed                        -                     1
Egg, small                                        -                     1
Vanilla extract                                 -                     ½ tsp.
red currants, ripe                              -                    150 g.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 360°F  and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine the flour, oats, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl. 
3. In another large bowl, mix the butter and sugar until fluffy with a beater. Add the mashed banana, egg and vanilla and continue mixing until well combined. 
4. Stir in the dry mixture with a spoon gently until you have a lumpy dough. Gently fold in the red currants. Do not over mix.
5. Drop a tablespoon of dough on the lined baking sheet, leaving enough space in between them as they will expand in the oven.
6. Bake in the oven for about 13 minutes or until golden, they will be quite soft at first.
7. Remove them from the oven and let it cool a bit, before transferring them onto a wire rack.
8. The cookie will be crispy the first day and will soften gradually.

Lime Meltaways

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                            If you like Lime you should definitely try this recipe. True to its name the cookie melts in your mouth. I halved the original recipe as it yields more than 3 dozen cookies. This is the first sliced cookie I have tried. To get a perfect round shape you will have to make use of  a parchment paper and a ruler. The dough melts quickly from the heat from your hands, so you to work fast in order to maintain its shape. And the cookie is not too sweet, so do not reduce the quantitiy of the sugar and do not omit the final dusting part.

Recipe Source: Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

unsalted butter, at room temperature      -          ¾ cup 
confectioners' sugar                                -         1/3 cup 
lime zest, finely grated                           -          2 
fresh lime juice                                       -         2 Tbsp. 
vanilla extract                                         -         1 Tbsp.
all-purpose flour                                     -        1¾ cups plus 2 Tbsp. 
cornstarch                                               -         2 Tbsp. 
salt                                                          -         ¼ tsp.
confectioners' sugar                                -        2/3 cup, for dusting

Method:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
2. Beat the butter and 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar together on medium speed  until light and fluffy, about 4 mins.(using a beater). Add the zest, lime juice, and vanilla, and beat well until well combined.
3. Add the dry ingredients and  mixing until just combined.
4. Divide the dough into 2 parts. Roll each into a log approximately 1¼ diameter. Wrap each log in parchment paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to slice without losing their shape, at least one hour.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Slice the refrigerated cookie dough into approximately 1/4” rounds and place on the baking tray, about 1” apart. They won't spread much at all. 
7. Place the  tray preferably on top most rack of the oven and bake for about 13 minutes, or until cookies begin to get a light golden color.
8.  Allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Toss the cookies(which will be still warm, but wont crumble) in the remaining confectioners' sugar, shake off excess sugar and cool the cookies completely before storing them.

Notes:

• the cookie dough will become soft as you work on it, so roll it quickly.
• the side on which it is placed to rest  might flatten during cooling, so i made use of a cylindrical pipe.(if the shape is off no concern to you then never mind )

Serradura

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       Serradura also known as sawdust pudding because of the sandy texture of the biscuit in the pudding. This pudding is believed to have originated from Macau. This is one of the easiest pudding I have ever made to this day, takes no more than 10 or 15 mins. to make. The pudding is layered with condensed milk and cream forming one layer and powdered biscuit the alternate layer. I have used a combination of cashew with the biscuit, which is optional. 

Ingredients:
Whipping cream or thick cream   -    250 ml 
sweetened condensed milk           -     50 g.
vanilla essence                             -      1 tsp.
Marie biscuits                               -     100 g.
cashew nuts                                 -      20

Method:

1. Powder the biscuits and the cashews using a mixie.
2. Whip the whipping cream until soft peaks are formed, add in the condensed milk and vanilla essence and beat it until stiff peaks are formed. 
3. In a glass or the serving dish, add a spoonful of biscuits-nuts mixture evenly. Then spoon in the cream then alternate with the biscuit and the cream alternately. 
4. Refrigerate till set for 2 hrs. and leave in room temperature(10 mins) before serving so that the creamy layer is smooth.

Notes:

• This is a heavy dessert so fewer the layers the better.
• You can also use a pipping bag to pipe the cream for a neater finish.
• Thick cream can be used in the place of whipping cream, just make sure not to over beat the cream.
• Adjust the amount of condensed milk according to your taste.

Chocolate Biscuit Pudding

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This is the perfect dessert to make when your in a hurry, won't take more than half n hour to prepare.

 Recipe source:  Ria
Ingredients:
Biscuit                              -   15 no.
Strong black coffee          -     1 cup 
Condensed milk               -     400 g. 
Milk                                 -     400 g.
Dark Chocolate, cubed    -     150 g.
Egg yolks                         -     4
Cream                               -    200 ml

Method:

1. Dip the biscuits in coffee and line a pudding dish. Melt chocolate and set aside.
2. Mix rest of the ingredients(including the melted chocolate) together except cream and make a thick custard by either double boiling it or directly over the flame. 
3. Pour the thick custard over the biscuit layer. Let it set.
4. Beat the cream real thick and you can spread it or pipe out rosettes.
5. Keep it refrigerated until ready to serve.

Peanut cookies

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Recipe source: betty crocker
Ingredients:
Serves:30
granulated sugar        -   ½ cup 
packed brown sugar  -    ½ cup 
peanut butter              -    ½ cup 
shortening                  -    ¼ cup 
butter, softened          -    ¼ cup 
egg                             -    1
all-purpose flour        -   1 ¼ cups 
baking soda                -  ¾ tsp.
baking powder            -  ½ tsp. 
Salt                              -  1/4 tsp.


Method:

1. Mix sugars, peanut butter, shortening, butter and egg in large bowl(use spatula or your fingers). Stir in remaining ingredients and roll it into a ball. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.
2.  Heat oven to 375º F.
3. Shape dough into 1 ¼ inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet(baking tray)(the dough will spread). Flatten in criss-cross pattern with fork dipped into sugar(do this gently else the dough will break).
4. Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown(middle rack). Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes(the cookies will be soft to touch); remove from cookie sheet. Let it rest on wire rack.(It will become firm after few mins.)

Here is another recipe using without peanut butter:
Wheat  flour    -  25 g.
Sugar               -  25 g.
Peanut(Without salt and skin) - 25 g.
Butter(or margarine)     -  15 g.
Egg                   -  ¼
Baking Soda    -  ¼ tsp.

Method same as above

Melting Moments

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I came to know about melting moments from masterchef australia where Julia makes it in a biscuit challenge.
There are slightly different versions for the biscuit some add cornflour instead of custard powder.

Ingredients: (Makes 15 filled minis)

For the Biscuit

180g unsalted butter

60g icing sugar,sifted

60g custard powder

1tsp. baking powder

180g all purpose flour

For Raspberry Buttercream:

100g softened butter

1/3 tsp. vanilla essence

3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
2-3 drops of red food colouring liquid
3 tsp. of raspberry jam

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180 C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
• Sift the flour and baking powder.
• For the biscuit , cream the butter for 2 mins with an electric beater. Add the icing sugar and the custard powder and beat till combined.Add the sifted flour to the dough and combine well in a bowl.
• Cover the bowl with a plastic sheet and refrigerate for 15 mins. and roll the dough into 1tbsp. of small balls and place it on the baking tray and press it with  a fork to make a indent. 
• Bake the biscuits for 12 to 14 mins. Or until very light golden. Allow it to cool in the tray for 5 mins and transfer on to a wire rack and cool completely. 
• For the buttercream, whisk the butter till soft add the sugar and cream them together add the vanilla essence, raspberry jam and red food colour to make a thick icing like consistency.
• To assemble,  apply buttercream  on to the base of a biscuit and place another biscuit  together and dust them with icing sugar(optional).

Note:

* For the buttercream filling make sure the butter is at room temperature and not melted, else the filling will be runny.

* The original recipe from Julia called for 1 cup of icing sugar for the buttercream but as it was too sweet for me i reduced it to  a 3/4th cup.

*If the buttercream is too runny add icing sugar to make it thick and if its very thick add 1 or 2 tsp. of milk to get a desired consistency.

* Keep in mind as we are using a butter for the buttercream, the butter will melt if the biscuits are left outside. I kept my biscuits in the refrigerator.

* To avoid melting of the buttercream add vegetable shortening instead of butter like(for 2 sticks of butter add 1cup of shortening).