Walnut Shortbread

I came across Macadamia shortbreads in The Modern Bakers cookbook, instead of macadamia I used walnut and it turned good.

Ingredients:

Cookie Dough:
Sugar	½ cup
Walnut crushed	1 ½ oz or 50 gms
All purpose flour	2 ¼ cup
Baking powder	½ tsp
Unsalted butter (cold)	1 ½ stick or 12 Tbsp
Topping:
Unsalted walnut crushed	¾ cup
Sugar	⅓ cup
Yields: 24 2" square cookie

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven for 325ºF; line a 9ˣ13 inch pan with butter foil. For dough, combine sugar and nuts in food processor and grind finely.
2. Add baking powder and flour and pulse several times to mix, add butter and pulse until butter is finely mixed in. The mixture should be powdery.
3. Transfer the flour mixture to prepared pan, distribute it evenly all over the bottom of the pan and use the palm to press it.
4. Use a brush to sprinkle the top of the dough generously with one tablespoon of water.
5. Mix sugar and nut for topping, scatter the nut mixture evenly on the dough and use the palm to press them.
6. Bake the cookie until they are golden and firm, about 30 minutes.
7. As soon as you remove the pan from oven, grip the foil and lift the baked dough onto a cutting board.
8. While the dough is still hot, use a sharp and long knife to cut them into 2 inch squares.
9. Let the cookies cool and they will become crispy.

 

Note:

• For crushing the walnuts use heavy bottomed pan.
• If you find your cookie is not crispy after cooling return them to pan and bake them for another 10 – 15 minutes at 300ºF.

Linking to : Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#28

 

 

Japanese Cheese Cake

This my second challenge in Baking Partners, first I need to thank Reeni and Swathi for choosing such a wonderful cheesecake for this month. Recipe source Dinna.

Ingredients:

Eggs	6
Powdered sugar	5 oz
Butter	2 oz
Cream cheese	9 oz
Milk	100ml
Lemon juice	1 tbsp
Cake flour	2 oz
Corn flour	1 oz
Salt	1 tsp

 

Directions:

1. Separate egg yolk and white in two large bowls. Let it come to room temperature. Mix cornstarch, cake flour and salt set aside.
2. Melt cream cheese and milk over a double boiler, when the cheese is almost melted add butter and mix well and remove from double boiler and allow it to cool completely.
3. Mean while beat egg yolk well, add to the cooled cheese mixture. Fold in the flour mixture and lemon juice and mix well without lumps.
4. Using a strainer filter the cheese and flour mixture and set aside.
5. Whisk egg whites by adding sugar little by little until soft peaks form.
6. Add egg whites to cheese mixture and fold well (Mix small amount at a time).
7. Grease eight inch spring form pan, wrap the bottom with aluminum foil (two or three times this is to prevent leaking).
8. Bake the mixture in waterbath (place the spring form pan in a large pan with 1 inch hot water) for 1 hour 10 – 20 minutes at 325°F or until golden brown on top.
9. Allow it to cool and serve.

 

Tips:

• I baked mine at 300ºF, oven temperature might vary, keep an eye while baking if your cake rise or turn brown very fast then you might reduce the temperature.
• Before you take your cake out of the oven open your oven door half way for 10 – 15 minutes and then take it oven.

 

Linking to: 

Coconut Cupcake

Last Monday my kids had birthday party in school. You know birthday party will not end without cupcake that too for kids. Since Easter is nearing I planed to do something related to that and something attracting. Finally ended with these coconut cupcakes from joyofbaking.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour	1 ½ cups
Sugar	1 cup
Butter	½ cup
Eggs	2
Baking powder	1 ½ tsp
Salt	¼ tsp
Lemon juice	1 tsp
Vanilla extract	1 ½ tsp
Milk	½ cup
Cream Cheese Frosting
Powdered sugar	2 ½ cups
Butter	4 Tbsp
Cream cheese	4 oz
Vanilla extract	½ tsp
Garnish
Shredded coconut	1 ½ cups
Jelly beans	few
Strawberry twists	few

 

Directions:

1. In a bowl whisk all dry ingredients together.
2. In another bowl beat (electric mixture) butter until soft (1-2 minutes), add sugar and continue beating until fluffy.
3. Add egg one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and lemon juice.
4. With mixer in low speed, add flour mixture and milk alternatively. (Start and end with flour 3 times flour and 2 times milk).
5. Beat until combined.
6. Evenly fill the lined cupcake pan and bake for about 18- 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow it to cool in wire rack completely.

Frosting:

1. Using a mixture, beat butter until smooth, add cream cheese and beat until smooth and blend well. Beat in the vanilla extract.
2. In low speed, gradually add sugar scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (for about 3-4 minutes) add a tablespoon of milk or cream if frosting is thick.
3. Using round nozzle apply frosting for cupcakes.

 

Garnishing:

1. Spread the shredded coconut in a plate, after frosting gently dip cupcake in coconut or sprinkle the coconut above the frosting. Repeat this for all cupcakes.
2. Place two or three jelly beans above the coconut. Cut the strawberry twist as needed and fix that like a basket handle.

Note:

• The original recipe is for 12 cupcakes. But it yields 14 -15 cupcakes.
• Frosting yields for 18 cupcakes. I used round nozzle you can also spread it using spatula.

 

 

Sharing to: jagruti's ,  Cook Like a Celebrity Chef event by Food Corner

 

 

 

Hershey's "Perfect Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

This is my first challenge in Baking Eggless Group, which is taken care by Gayathri. This month challenge is Hershey’s “Perfect Chocolate” Chocolate Cake suggested by Gayathri of Guju’s Kitchen. Take this opportunity to thank both Gayathri’s for accepting me in this group and also for suggesting wonderful chocolate cake.

Coming to today’s recipe, this is the first time I am trying an egg substitution. Before I start blogging I haven’t worried about this egg, we use to take egg almost all day so no worries for substitution. After starting this blog, most of my friend circle here are pure vegetarian they requested me to post few eggless recipe by the same time came to know about this group joined to explore something new.

Again I went to past story ok now back to recipe. I tried two versions for this same cake and both came well but taste wise I like this method.

Ingredients:

For Cake:

All purpose flour	1 cup
Baking powder	¾ tsp
Baking soda	¾ tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Cocoa powder	¼ + ⅛ cup
Sugar	1 cup
Milk	½ cup
Butter milk	½ cup
Boiling water	¼ cup
Vanilla extract	1 tsp
For Frosting:
Butter	½ cup
Cocoa powder	⅔ cup
Powdered sugar	3 cups
Milk	⅓ cup
Vanilla extract	1 tsp

 

 

Direction:

1. Grease an 8 inch cake pan. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well and set aside.
3. In another bowl mix all the liquid ingredients except boiling water, beat well until it blend well.
4. Add this liquid mixture to flour mixture, beat for couple minutes. Now add water and again mix well for another 2 minutes.
5. Pour this to prepared cake pan and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
6. Cool for another 10 minutes.

 

Frosting:

Beat butter and cocoa powder. Alternatively add sugar and milk, keep on beating until the consistency occurs. If needed add another teaspoon milk.

Decorate your cake as per taste and enjoy.

 

Note: For this ratio you will yield 15 cupcakes

Easy Eggless Chocolate Cupcake

When I made muffin last week, my little one asked “Is this cup cake for my birthday party? Can I take this to school?” Kids always love cup cakes. Yesterday they had valentines party in school, I made this cup cake for them. This is the first time I am trying eggless cake, I was wondering how its going to turn out? It was so good and spongy. This measurement yields 16 Cupcakes.

Ingredients:

For Cupcake:

All purpose flour	1 ½ cup
Sugar	1 cup
Baking soda	1 tsp
Salt	1 tsp
Coco powder	1/3 cup
Oil	½ cup
Water	1 cup
Vanilla extract	1 tsp
Vinegar	1 Tbsp
For Frosting:
Unsalted butter	1/3 cup
Vegetable shortening	1/3 cup
Salt	1/8 tsp
Confectioners’ sugar (sifted)	4 – 5 cups
Clear vanilla extract	2 tsp
Milk	¼ - 1/3

 

Directions:

Cupcake:

1. Line your cupcake pan and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Mix all the ingredients together until moist and blend well for 2-3 minutes.
3. Fill the cupcake cups ¾ and bake for 20- 25 minutes (Mine done in 20minutes).

 

Fluffy White Frosting:

1. Beat together the butter, shorting and salt in a large mixing bowl till fluffy.
2. Add about half the sugar, and beat slowly until well blended. Add the vanilla and half milk and beat until fluffy.
3. Continue mixing in the remaining sugar and milk alternately beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

 

 

Sharing to: original spotlight announcement link, Gayathri'sCookSpot, What is with my cuppa and Nupur's page