Raspberry Diamonds

After the Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen Christmas Potluck, a few of us went to Peace Mennonite Church Community Kitchen for a cookie making session. This cookies making session is sponsored by Family Services and demonstrated by Charlene.

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We made 2 types of cookies, one filled with raspberry jam and the other one is just holiday cutout cookies decorated with icings. The dough for both the cookies are the same except that for the holiday cutout cookies, the dough has to be refrigerated for a firmer texture.

Ingredients

For cookies:

  • 2 1/2 cups (11 1/4 oz) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (8oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • zest of 1 lemon, grated
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

For filing:

  • 1/2 cup raspberry jam

For glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • drop of almond extract (optional)

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Almond and Honey Cookies

Minoo made these Almond and Honey Cookies in the Caring Place Community Kitchen upon Ada’s request. Most of the time, it’s a challenge to get the members of the community kitchen to volunteer to demonstrate. Most of them are very shy. So, instead of asking for volunteer to demonstrate, Minoo will ask what we would like to learn. It’s not easy being a leader of the community kitchen.

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This Almond and Honey Cookie is the puff up type, light and yet you can get the crunch from the crushed almonds.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup almonds, crushed or blended (not too fine)

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Whipped Shortbread Cookies

Jean made this very easy but delicious Whipped Shortbread Cookies. It is always a challenge using a different oven from your home. The Gilmore Park Church has a gas oven which takes a long time to heat up. Usually, we will turn the thermometer up by 50F to achieve the same result as the electric oven.

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However, this Whipped Shortbread Cookie is very delicate. You really have to watch the cookies as they burn easily. We burnt the batch we made in the kitchen due to the unfamiliarity with the oven.

This batch of Whipped Shortbread Cookies were made by Jean the day before. They are so buttery and they just melt in your mouth. Great for holiday cookies exchange.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature, softened
  • 1/2 cup icing sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • dash of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of almond extract

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Oatmeal, Raisin and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Minoo also made this scrumptious Oatmeal, Raisin and Chocolate Chip Cookies in the South Arm Community Kitchen. It is about time to switch on the oven to do some baking as the weather is getting colder. I love the aroma from baking sweet treats.

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup butter or margarine
  • 2 cups brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 cup raisins

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Tim Tam

I had heard a long time about this snack which is very popular in Australia. I came across this at the Real Canadian Superstore some weeks ago. I would have…

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Pineapple Fillings

Pineapple is native to Brazil and central America, but is now a favorite crop in tropical and subtropical climates. Pineapple is a good source of manganese, as well as containing significant amounts of Vitamin C and B1.

Pineapple makes an excellent marinade and tenderizer because it contains bromeline, an enzyme that digests protein. The enzyme also keeps gelatin from setting, so pineapple is not good for fruit jellies.

I love pineapple but I seldom buy a whole pineapple. This is because I’m intimidated by the task of cutting up a pineapple. There are lots of so called eyes on the pineapple which need to be removed.

I guessed the exporter of pineapples are aware of this and nowadays, you’ll find a little brochure attached with the pineapple illustrating how to cut up a pineapple.

First, you remove the top and bottom of the pineapple.

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Then, you stand the pineapple up on the flat bottom and cut the pineapple into quarters.

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Remove the core which is too fibrous to eat.

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Tangerine Cookies

During Chinese New Year, tangerine is the official fruit. Every Chinese family will surely have tangerines. Tangerine in Cantonese is ‘kum’ which has the same pronunciation as gold in Cantonese. So, tangerine is an auspicious fruit during this festive season.

It is the Chinese customs to visit families and friends during the 15 days of Chinese New Year celebration. During such visits, the visitor will bring gifts which always include tangerines.

I saw this Tangerine Cookies in a recipe book which Ben brought back from Malaysia and its just perfect for Chinese New Year celebration. Unfortunately, the Tangerine Cookies did not turn out as pretty as those in the recipe book. I think its the temperature of the oven which caused the cookies to be slightly burn. Anyway, if you would like to try this recipe, I’ll recommend you lower the oven temperature.

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Since the first batch of the Tangerine Cookies did not turn out as I expected, I used the rest of the pastry to make Pineapple Tarts. Actually its more to a Thump Print Pineapple Cookies because I do not have a pineapple tart cutter.

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The Pineapple Tart turned out pretty good. Of course, I bake them in lower temperature that the recipe book recommended. I have always love the tartness of the pineapple in a slightly sweet pastry cookie.

Ingredients

  • Pineapple filling (I will blog about this tomorrow)
  • 300g plain flour
  • 50g custard powder
  • 1 tablespoon milk powder
  • 180g butter
  • 70g icing sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 beaten egg yolk
  • Cloves for decoration

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Kueh Bangkit

Kueh Bangkit is one of the traditional cookies served during Chinese New Year. It is a very light and fragrant cookie that melts in your mouth.

Traditionally, its made with a mold in the shape of little chick. I do not have such mold, so I tried to use my cookie press to make it.

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I was successful with the cookie press for the first batch of the Kueh Bangkit and ran into difficulty with the second batch. The dough just wont come out from the press. So, for the rest of the dough, I just shaped the dough into long strips and cut them into 2 cms strips for baking.

Ingredients

  • 300g tapioca flour
  • 3-4 pieces pandan leaves (screwpine leaves)
  • 20g margarine, softened
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 140g icing sugar
  • 120ml coconut milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder (I substituted with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract)

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M&M Cookies from Cookies-In-A-Jar

Allie passed me a jar of M&M Cookie Mix because she said she does not like baking. She told me that most of her baking came out not so nice and that I make such nice cookies. She joked that she does not have an oven as good as mine! So, I took her cookie mix and baked the cookies for her instead. I am glad she likes them a lot.

Come to think of it, Cookie-Mix-In-a-Jar is a great gift idea. It makes baking cookies much simpler. Most of the ingredients are already in the jar except for the butter, egg and vanilla or other liquid. Moreover, the instruction is on the jar too.

You can Google for the phrase “cookie in a jar” and get recipes for the cookie mixes.

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Ingredients

  • a jar of M&M cookie mix
  • 3/4 cup softened butter or margarine
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

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