Cherry Chocolate Shortbread Bars 櫻桃巧克力酥條

This is a new recipe I tried for my 2012 Christmas bake. I was hoping for a dark rich chocolate flavor with tangy tart cherry bites, but my shortbread turned out not chocolate-y enough both for the look and flavor, and the cherries were dried… maybe I baked it too long or the temperature was too high?… Anyhow, my recipe this time is a little messy with note-to-self’s everywhere. I need to fine tune the recipe, so there will be Cherry Chocolate Shortbread Bars version #2…

Cherry Chocolate Shortbread Bars

Cherry Chocolate Shortbread Bars

Ingredients:

2 sticks (4oz each) unsalted butter– soften
1 cup icing sugar
2 cups flour– maybe down to 1 1/2 cup?
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder– maybe up to 1/2 cup?
2 tbsp dry whole milk powder
1 tbsp tapioca starch– maybe skip?
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dried cherries– coarsely chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a small jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Combine flour, cocoa powder, tapioca starch and salt in a bowl.
3. Turn mixer speed to low, gradually add in flour. Mix to combine ( maybe better if mix with fingers like making pastry for Malaysia pineapple cookies?). Add in dried cherries. Stir to mix well. Form a dough.
4. Roll the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap to the size of jello roll pan. Transfer dough to the pan, adjust to fit the pan evenly. Use a fork to prick the top. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. Cool in the pan on a rack completely. Drizzle top with melted chocolate (extra) if desired. Remove from the pan, cut into cookie bar sizes. Store in air tight container.

Read Full Post »

Peanut Cookies 花生餅

To be honest I am not a big fan of peanuts. I would rather make green pea cookies instead. But I don’t have any ground green pea on hand. Almond would be my second choice, but I already made almond crisps…

This was my first time making peanut cookies; and I know I didn’t do a good job making it– the peanuts were still too coarse (I should have used a coffee grinder instead of food processor), and I forgot to toast ground peanut. So the cookies came out just okay for me… I have been trying to lure my kids to eat more peanut cookies because I know this will be the last Chinese New Year snacks sitting on the kitchen counter.

Peanut Cookies 花生餅

Peanut Cookies 花生餅 (makes 100+ bite size pieces)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup skin-off raw peanuts
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil

1 beaten egg for egg wash– see note below

Method:

1. Grind peanut until fine. Then toast in dry clean pan on medium low heat until it browns and the peanut aroma comes out. Be sure to stir constantly to prevent burning. Cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix to form a dough. Put dough on a flat surface and place a piece of plastic wrap on the top, roll the dough to 8mm thickness. Use a mini cookie cutter to cut out cookie dough.
3. Lay cut cookies on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Brush egg wash on the top, and bake at preheated 340°F oven for 18-20 minutes. Cool cookies on the pan completely then store in air tight container.

Regina’s Note:

• Egg wash: I didn’t want to have residual beaten egg from the egg wash, so I brushed the top with heavy whipping cream (just happen to have it in the fridge) instead. And the result wasn’t too bad– the top of the cookies has the sheen look.

Read Full Post »

Almond Crisps 蛋白杏仁脆片

I meant to make this cookies for Chinese New Year, but didn’t get to it until now. This was my first time making it, and they turned out pretty good. The mixing part was pretty easy, although spreading the batter to a thin layer took a little time. The cookies aren’t too sweet, and the toasted coconut flakes on the top added some coconut flavor to the cookies. Next time I make it, I want to coat the bottom with some dark chocolate sauce… yum!

Almond Crisps-- The thinner the crisper. Mine are about 2-3 cm thick.

Almond Crisps (makes about 120 pieces)

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter– softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 egg whites
2 cups flour
1/2 salt
6 oz (about 2 cups) sliced almonds

crumbled toasted coconut flakes for sprinkle

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 335°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla extract and egg whites, mix to blend well. Sift in flour and salt, mix well. Stir in sliced almonds.
3. Scoop some batter (about 1/2 tbsp for each cookies, leave some space between each) onto lined baking sheet. Use the back of the spoon to spread the batter to a thin layer (about 2-3 cm thick). Sprinkle some toasted coconut flakes on the top.
4. Bake at preheated oven for 10-13 minutes (depending on the thickness of the cookies). Remove from the oven and cool completely on rack. Store cookies in air tight container.

Regina’s Note:

• If the bottom of almond crisps is still a little soft, return to the oven and bake a little further.

Almond Crisps-- bottom side is golden brown.

Read Full Post »