Monster Cookies for my little monster

” Mummy, Shall we make some monsters for Halloween?”

 And there she goes, doodled some of her great ideas of Halloween items.

Source of my inspiration for the cookies and not to forget the interesting blog of the decorated cookies helped a lot.

 “The Perfect Sugar Cookies” modified from The Sweet Adventure of sugarbelle

175 g icing sugar (I cut down to 120g)
227 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
400 g – 450 g all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsps baking powder
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Line the baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Cream together butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs and extract and mix well.
4. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, add to wet mixture little by little until well incorporated.
5. Roll and cut cookies into rectangular sticks (I cut into 15 cm by 4 cm), dusting with flour as necessary. Place the cut dough on the baking trays.
6. Bake cookies at 180 degrees C for 10 minutes until tops are appear dry. Do not brown.
7. Take out the cookies from the oven and leave them to cool.

” The Mummy cookie is staring…”

Cookie Decoration – Royal Icing Recipe

800 g icing sugar 
4 tbsp of meringue powder 
6 tbsp of warm water

some food colouring (I used soft gel from Wilton)

Instructions

1. Beat all ingredients until stiff peaks form.
2. Make sure all bowls and utensils are totally grease-free or your icing will never reach proper consistency.
3. If the icing is too thick, you can slowly dilute it with a bit of warm water.
4. Add in the colours you want for your monsters. 

 My little missy’s favourite – Spirally-Staring Monster, she called it.

 For the eyes

20g sugar paste (white)
20g sugar paste (black)

I made the eyes by using both the white and black sugar paste.

My little missy decided to make her own set of monsters. And I LOVE them. I made the eyes by using both the white and black sugar paste.

 ”Mummy, my kingdom of monsters…… Arrrr…”

 

And I just could not bear to put these cute monster cookies in my tummy. 

  .

 

 

Sunday Post : Architecture

Architecture, has always been a good theme for photography. I love to look at how the fusion of art, design and engineering resulted into impressive structures and buildings.

Here is my entry.

Last December, we dropped by the Kiyoharu Shirakaba Museum during our road trip in Yamanashi, Japan. We were so captivated by the architecture as well as the art pieces displayed within its vicinity. This is the La Ruesh atelier of the Village has sixteen sides that afford spectacular views in all directions. Beautiful!

La Ruesh is a reconstruction of a building designed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel in Paris which was once the atelier of artists.  (Kiyoharu Shirakaba Museum, Yamanashi)

Another unique structure that made us awed in wonder was the teahouse, by the well-known Japanese architect, Mr Terunobu Fujimori.  

A tea house is referred to a structure designed for holding Japanese tea ceremonies. This structure and specifically the room in it where the tea ceremony takes place is called chashitsu (茶室, literally “tea room”). The architectural space called chashitsu was created for aesthetic and intellectual fulfillment.

We see this more like a treehouse than a traditional tea house. It was a pity we could not take a look at the interior of this tea house.

Please visit Sunday Post by Jakefor more sharing of beautiful architecture by other bloggers.

Little Critters – Bunny Mooncakes

“Mummy, can you make something for the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration in school ?”

This request came a few days before the Mid-Autumn festival, an important festival that most Chinese celebrate. The festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, during a full moon.

In ancient times, the festival was a time to enjoy the successful harvesting of rice and with food offerings made in honor of the moon. Today, it is still an occasion for outdoor reunions among friends and relatives to eat mooncakes and watch the moon, a symbol of harmony and unity.

Eating mooncakes is one of the highlight of this festival. And it is a form of courtesy to present the elders mooncakes. And from the traditional round-shaped mooncakes (which meant to symbolise reunion and unity), they evolve into wide variety of fanciful, colourful and delicious mooncakes available in bakeries and supermarkets.

So inspired by happyhomebaking, I decided to try out my clay-moulding skills.

Bunnies Mooncakes – modified from the happyhomebaking
(makes 10)

For dough:
125g     plain flour
85g      golden syrup (I used Abram Lyle’s Golden Syrup with maple flavor)
1/2      teaspoon alkaline water
25g      peanut oil (I used salad oil instead)

For filling:
250g   red bean paste

Method:

1. Divide the filling into 25g portions and shape into balls.
2. Mix the maple syrup with the alkaline water, stir to combine. Add in salad oil, mix well.
3. Place plain flour in a mixing bowl, make a well in the centre. Add in the above mixture.
4. Mix with a spatula to form a soft dough and gently knead the dough till smooth (takes 1~2 mins). Shape it into a smooth round dough. Wrap with cling wrap and leave in fridge to rest for at least 2 hours. Best result is to put it overnight.
5. This step is known as 醒面.
6. Dust work surface with some flour. Divide dough into 20g pieces. Shape each dough into a ball. Roll each dough over some flour.
7. Dust hand with flour and flatten each dough into a small disc (about 5cm in diameter). Wrap it around the filling and shape it into a ball. (always dust hand with some flour to avoid the dough from sticking).
8. Take two small pieces of dough to form bunny ears, place on the wrapped dough, make an indent on each ear with a spatula or toothpick. Make the eyes by poking with the tip of a chopstick (use one that comes with pointed ends) or a satay stick. Stick a small round dough at the back as tail.
9. Place mooncake on a baking tray line with parchment paper. Bake at preheated oven at 180degC for 10mins. Remove from oven and leave to cool for 15mins. Return to oven and continue to bake for another 12~15mins until golden brown (since all oven works differently, the mooncakes are not over baked).

*I didnt egg-wash the mooncakes for fear that little kids might not like the texture

1. Leave mooncake to cool completely and store in air tight containers. Wait for 2 ~ 3 days for the mooncakes to 回油 (for the skin to soften) before serving.

And these little critters are all ready for delivery.

We know it is rude to show the back view of these little critters. But, don’t they look adorable!

Sunday Post : Delicious

This theme comes in so timely !

I just made few dozens of different types of snacks for different occassions.

And….

The lolly cookies are the children day’s gifts for my little one.

Do check out the Sunday Post hosted by Jake for more delicious posts shared by the many other bloggers.

Lolly Cookies

“Mummy, can you make some rainbow lollipops for my children’s day party in school tomorrow ?”

This starts my plan for making lollipops. After browsing through recipes, I realised that I have a tight timeline to work on.

So, I decided to make 2 dozens lollipop-look-alike cookies to fulfill her request.

“The Perfect Sugar Cookies”  modified from The Sweet Adventure of sugarbelle

175 g  icing sugar  (I cut down to 120g)
227 g  unsalted butter (room temperature)
400 g – 450 g all-purpose flour
1          tsp salt
2          tsps baking powder
1          egg
1  1/2 tsp vanilla extract

400 g hundreds and thousands for decoration
24      cookie sticks

Instructions

1. Cream together butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and extract and mix well.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, add to wet mixture little by little until well incorporated.
4. Roll and cut cookies into circles of 5- cm in diameter and 1/2 inch thick , dusting with flour as necessary.
5. Take the cookie stick and with a twisting movement back and forth, twist the cookie stick into the cookie.
6. Bake cookies at 180 degrees C for 10 minutes until tops are appear dry. Do not brown.

Fresh from the oven.

Royal Icing Recipe

800 g  icing sugar
4         tbsps meringue powder
6        tbsps warm water
1          egg
1  1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Using a mixer, beat all ingredients until stiff peaks form. *Make sure all bowls and utensils are totally grease-free or the icing will not reach proper consistency.
2. Spoon some of the thick white icing into a seperate bowl for piping.
3. Add some warm water gradually to thin the rest of the icing.

Assemble :

1. Spread thin layer of the frosting in (3) above and drizzle hundreds and thousands on each of the cookies.

“My little elve at work – decorating the lolly cookies with her favourite hundreds and thousands.”

2. Let the toppings dry. Pipe the thick frosting in (2) into swirls on each cookie.

After much trial and error, finally gotten the right consistency for the royal icing.

The end product.

And all ready for the party!

This is my reward for the day! An elated girl with her little gifts for her friends.

Matcha Shortbread Cookies

Matcha Green Tea Shortbread Cookies mainly from Lovescool

3       Large egg yolks
1 1/2 tbsps matcha green tea powder
125 g flour
15og unsalted butter, room temperature
100 g caster sugar

150g caster sugar (to coat the dough)

1. Whisk the confectioner’s sugar and matcha powder together. 
2. Beat the butter and matcha sugar mixture together in a stand mixer (use paddle attachment) until the butter is smooth and light. 
3. Add the flour and stir until just combined. 
4. Mix in the egg yolks until they are incorporated and the dough comes together. 
5. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it into a thick disc.Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until it is firm. 
6. Preheat the oven to 160 degree C. 
7. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness. 

8.  Use a small cookie cutter (about 2-inches) to cut shapes from the dough. 
9.  Roll the cut dough in granulated sugar and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

10.Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until they begin to turn golden at the edges.  

11.This recipe makes about 5 dozen 1-inch cookies. Store in airtight container away from sunlight as the color will fade with exposure to sun.

And my little one came home from school and told me, “Mummy, I love your garden of green flowers. Don’t eat them ok ?”

Well. I love my garden of green flowers too.

Earl Grey Dark Chocolate Cupcake

The idea was incepted by my 5-year old yesterday.

“Mummy , can you bake some cupcakes for my teachers tomorrow ? It’s Teachers’ day ! Please please please.”

And 3 hours later, I was happily receiving my first batch of cupcakes from the oven. Indulging in the rich , chocolaty aroma that carries a bit of the coffee smell.

Earl Grey Dark Chocolate Cupcakes (modified from dessertsforbreakfast)makes 12 – 14 cupcakes

for cake
200 g  sugar  (I cut down to 180g)
140 g  all-purpose flour
45 g  Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I used Hershley’s)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2  eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup hot coffee

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160° C. Prepare 12 – 14 cupcake tins with cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. In a mixer bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the beaten egg, vegetable oil, and milk. Stir well till mix.
4. With the mixer on low, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix on low until evenly distributed.
5. Pour the hot coffee into the batter gradually and mix on medium low until smooth.
6. Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes. When a toothpick inserted at the center of the cupcake comes out cleanly, the cakes are baked. 7.Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

The chocolate ganache frosting
6 teabags of Earl Grey
1/2 cup   sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup   heavy cream
142 g       unsweetened chocolate
115g        butter
100 g      sugar

1. Place the Earl Grey teabags, condensed milk, and heavy cream in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a simmer, remove from heat, cover tightly, and let steep for at least one hour.
2.Finely chop the chocolate and cut the butter into pieces. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set aside.

3.Remove the teabags from the milk mixture, making sure to squeeze as much liquid from the teabags.
4. Add the sugar to the milk mixture, return to the stove, and bring to a simmer.
5.Pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until smooth. Let cool completely to room temperature.
6.Once cool, whip on medium until light-colored and fluffy. Use immediately to pipe onto the cooled cupcakes. The whipped ganache will be firmed up once spread or piped.

It was my first attempt in piping the roses onto the cupcakes. And at the same time, battling with the right consistency of chocolate ganache frosting.

My first roses…

And the taste is splendid as the Earl Grey added flavour to the frosting. Light and a not-too-overpowering fragrance. All of us like it very much.

And my little one could not bear to part with these beauties when I was packing them into the two boxes.

Well, it was really fun piping the roses and watching how my hubby and little one enjoyed the cakes. And not to forget about how busy grandma and busy grandpa finished their cakes within seconds.