Happy New Year!

I hope 2013 was as good as you imagined it to be. It was definitely my best year and I can't wait for 2014. Hope you get to spend the eve with good people and good food.

Cheers!

Cinnamon Sugar Palmiers

I am in love with this sugary-cinnamon snack lately. It is done within minutes and tastes so so good! And what better way to end this year with a cinnamon treat, right? 

You need:

Recipe from Martha Stewart

1 cup sugar

2 table spoons cinnamon

2 sheets puff pastry

Stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle half of the mixture on the work surface and place one sheet of puff pastry over. Sprinkle two more table spoons of the mixture on top of the pastry and roll over dough with a rolling pin. Now gently roll the dough, starting at the one end and rolling up halfway. Turn over and roll the other end up the other half. Slice crosswise into 3 centimetre pieces. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and dip each cookie into the remaining sugary mixture, then place it on the sheet. Bake for 12 minutes on 200°C, then turn around and bake for another 5. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Nutty Chocolate Bars

Today I want to share a family recipe from a dearest friend of mine. These chocolate bars are so so good you will definitely go for seconds. Or thirds. Or fours.

You need:

140 grams sugar

140 grams butter

2 tea spoons baking powder

4 eggs, divided

70 grams walnuts, roughly chopped

70 grams chocolate of choice, roughly chopped

100 grams flour

4 table spoons jam of choice (apricot works best for me)

Chocolate ganache

300 millilitres cream 

300 grams chocolate

Put the cream in a small saucepan and heat it until little bubbles start to form on the edge. Set aside and add chocolate. Let sit for two minutes, then stir until chocolate is fully incorporated.

Sprinkles

Cream together sugar and butter, gradually add the flour and baking powder. Mix well, then add the egg yolks and mix again. Next add the meringue from the egg whites. Mix and add the nuts and chocolate. Pour the batter in a greased baking tin and bake for 20 minutes on 190○C. When baked, let cool and spread the jam on top. Lastly, pour some chocolate ganache on top and decorate with colored sprinkles.

Spicy Crinkles

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

Hope you have a nice day and enjoy good food.

Here's another great cookie recipe that was a success yesterday at our Christmas Eve Party.

You need:

2 eggs

70 grams powdered sugar

1 cup shredded coconut

80 grams cocoa

100 grams chocolate morsels

1 tea spoon cardamom

some powdered sugar to roll the cookies in (about 3 table spoons)

Separate the egg yolks from whites and put the yolks in a medium sized bowl, set aside. Beat the whites until stiff and set aside. Now put the sugar to the yolks and beat ten minutes, until smooth. Gradually add the coconut and cocoa powder mixed with cardamom. Beat on slow, then mix in the egg whites. From here on mix with a spatula, so you don't over mix the batter. Add the chocolate morsels and mix well. Take a spoonful of batter and form into a ball, then roll in powdered sugar. Place every ball on the baking tray, press gently with a finger so you flatten every ball a bit. Bake for 8 minutes on 190°C.

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

Christmas is just around the corner and I haven't been baking like crazy yet. It is kind of weird because last year December flew by due to my busy cookie baking afternoons. I love to bake and prepare Christmas menus, but this year I decided to take it easy. Of course, my Christmas menu is allready planned but the cookie baking starts today. Excited!!!

Todays recipe is one of my family's favorites. Cinnamon rolls in mini size. Who doesn't like anything sweet when it comes in bite sizes? The amount of rolls you get out of this recipe is around 12, so if you want more just double or triple the ingredients.

Happy baking!

You need:

For the dough

200 grams flour

1 egg

25 grams melted butter

2 tea spoons active dry yeast

Pinch of salt

1 table spoon sugar

1/2 cup lukewarm milk

For the filling

2 table spoons sugar

2 table spoons cinnamon

For the frosting

1 table spoon milk

2 table spoons powdered sugar

Put all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl and knead until dough is soft and forms into a ball. Set the dough aside in a warm place to let it rise for half an hour. When the dough doubled in size roll it out, about 2 centimeters thick and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar filling over it. Roll the dough and cut into little pieces. Put the buns into a muffin tray and let sit for 20 minutes. Bake for 20 minutes on 190○C. When cool, spread the frosting over them (beat the sugar with milk) and enjoy.