malted milk sandwich cookies.

From my current number one favourite cookbook: Baked Explorations! There are just so many tempting recipes I want to make, I need to start slashing them down. Starting right now. Of course, I have already made the coconut snowball cupcakes from Baked, but that hardly made a dent in my list!

The recipe said that the dough was going to be extremely sticky. And they weren't lying. The dough was so soft to work with that even straight out of the freezer, it was still malleable. I considered many ways to  properly shape the dough into rounds besides just rolling and cutting (I gave up on that method anyway when the dough refused to budge from the board, even if it was generously floured). Rolling it up into a log? It became deformed. Weighing and portioning the dough individually before flattening them? Bingo! I pressed the dough into a two inch cutter and got a perfect circle. At least, until my manhandling stretched some of them into ovals.

I think I might have over beaten the eggs and sugar mixture when making the dough. It puffed up ridiculously and there were hideous cracks. And while the recipe said to bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, I actually had to extend the baking time way beyond that because my cookies weren't crisp. Or was it just my oven? Hmm...

Well, these cookies didn't wow me, but the filling was dangerously similar to the popular Oreo. And being homemade, it tasted so much fresher!

Malted Milk Sandwich Cookies
Adapted from Baked Explorations
makes 30 sandwiches

For the cookies
4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup malted milk powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

For the vanilla filling5 ounces vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes, at room temperature
3 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon light rum (optional)

Make the cookie dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, malt, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until just incorporated. Add half of the dry ingredients all at once and beat for 15 seconds. Again, scrape down the bowl, then add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just incorporated. The mixture should come together almost in a ball. (This didn't happen for me, it stuck together when pressed, but not on its own.)

Loosely shape the dough into two balls, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Divide each dough ball in half, to make four portions. Place on portion on a lightly floured work surface and return the other three portions to the refrigerator.

Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. The dough will be sticky, so you may have to flip and lightly flour it a few times while you work. Use a 2-inch round cookies cutter (or the top of a drinking glass if you're without one, I did) to create the sandwich tops and bottoms, transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space around each cookie. Extra dough scraps can be refrigerated and re-rolled, if desired.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until they are slightly browned. (12 minutes for a crispy cookie, 9-10 minutes for a chewy one.) Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cookies cool, make the vanilla filling.

Make the filling

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the shortening and butter until lump-free and smooth. Add the sugar in three parts mixing after each addition. Add the salt, vanilla and rum, if you're using it, and beat for 10 seconds. The filling should be thick but spreadable. You can add a few drops of water here and there if it's too thick.

Using a small spoon or a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, spoon the filling onto the flat side of one cookie. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top and press down slightly so the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie.

I think baking the cookies till they are crisp wins texturally but making them chewier will enhance that malty flavour.

brown butter cinnamon praline madeleines.

Doesn't the title make you drool already? I swear, it's a crime to even think of such a thing!

What are madeleines, exactly? Tea cakes? Cookies? Cakey cookies?

You know how people buy stuff because they need it to do something they already decided to do? I, very much the opposite, buy baking pans because I don't have that certain shape yet and then, think of what recipes to make. It doesn't help that Daiso happens to stock these madeleine pans at a cheap $2 each either. Of course, because it's not top quality, the grooves on the madeleines aren't very pronounced but the sky isn't going to fall anyway.

So I was blog surfing, as usual, and I came across this recipe for the madeleines. I mean, how could you not notice it! I bet Brown Butter Brown Sugar Cinnamon Praline Madeleines would be even better, if you could even say the entire phrase in one breath. Without the use of brown sugar, these little shells already have so much caramelized flavour, although the nuttiness of the brown butter didn't come through enough for me. Imagine if you substitute brown sugar for boring white sugar! The cinnamon was somewhat absent.

My first batch of madeleines had humps and the second didn't. I don't know what's the cause because there are too many variables. The batter for the second batch was not as cold, I baked it on the bottom rack for the first 4 minutes, the oven temperature dropped a little and I didn't fill them as much as I did for the first batch. But I think the temperature was the main factor.

Being basically a sponge cake in disguise, these are best eaten warm out of the oven, when they still have that light crust I so adore. I also especially love the edges- all brown, caramelized and crispy. After a few hours I bet they'll lose their moist spongy texture and become dry but I'm not letting them stick around to try one! If they do become dry though, they would probably be great dunked into your morning cuppa.

Your coffee would be honored.

Brown butter cinnamon praline madeleines 
recipe taken from vintagetrinkets, adapted from Patricia from Technicolour Kitchen
makes approximately 30 madeleines

105g unsalted butter, browned
157g all purpose flour
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
100g sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
3 tablespoons honey
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
140g crushed hazelnut praliné powder

Brown the butter and set aside to cool.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a small bowl and set aside.
Working with a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar until pale and thick, 2-3 minutes.
Add honey and vanilla and beat well. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the dry ingredients and the praliné powder. When they are incorporated, fold in the browned butter.
Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the batter and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or for up to 2 days.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Butter madeleines molds, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Spoon the batter into the molds ¾ full – don’t worry about leavening the batter, the oven’s heat will take care of that.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until madeleines are golden and the tops spring back when touched. Remove the pan form the oven and release the madeleines from the mold.
Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to just warm or to room temperature.

adzuki beans, matcha mousse and hazelnuts praline crumble.

I love matcha. Have I said it yet? Okay then, I love love love matcha. 

Making multi-component desserts are just so exhausting I had to find refuge in something homey and comforting. Like a spoon dessert. Nothing beats curling up on the sofa, cookbook in lap and a bowl (or glass in this case) and spoon to slowly savour your daily dose of sugar. This isn't a stressful dessert mainly because I cheated a little here and there. I used store-bought adzuki beans and pulled out an old batch of hazelnut praline, so 50% of the work is already done. The crumble was a snap to put together: just melted butter, equal parts sugar, and slightly more than twice the amount of flour of butter. The hazelnut praline powder was mixed in without measurements into the flour mixture consisting of the flour, sugar and some salt before combining everything together in a bowl.

I made too much crumble. Is there such a thing?

The matcha mousse was spot on. Its signature grassy flavour really came through because the sugar level was controlled. I think matcha is a like-it or hate-it thing. Some people don't want to feel like they've been grazing in the field with the horses but to me it just tastes healthy. 


I made a mistake when assembling the mousse. I didn't really combine the milk mixture with the whipped cream well enough so they parted ways when I left the glass to set in the fridge. What I got was a light spongy layer on top with less matcha oomph and a saucy layer at the bottom with more matcha character. It was sort of like eating melted green tea ice-cream. Oh tragedy, tragedy. 


Matcha Mousse
recipe taken from sweetsandloves

Fresh milk 160ml

Matcha powder 10g

Castor sugar 50g

Gelatin sheets 6g

Whipping cream 120ml

1. Soften the gelatin sheets in cold water and set aside. 

2. Stir together the matcha powder and castor sugar. Heat the milk until almost boiling and pour it into the matcha and sugar mixture. Stir till smooth.

3. Wring the excess water from the gelatin sheets and add to the mixture. Stir till the gelatin sheets are well-blended into the mixture.

4. Beat the whipping cream until fully whipped. Fold the whipped cream into the matcha mixture till well-combined.

snowball cupcakes.

Behold! The cupcakes to mark off my baking journey with the two Baked cookbooks! I chose this recipe mainly because of its adorable name and the cutesy picture that comes with the recipe. Besides, I love coconut so I skipped over the famous sweet and salty cake (which I will make later) and got started on these.

Usually we think of cupcakes as an easier alternative to whole cakes, but snowball here, demanded equal  attention. Filled with a coconut pastry cream, frosted with coconut frosting before being showered with sweetened coconut flakes, I had to divide this recipe into 3 parts, making one per day.

Because I don't often make cupcakes, I never know how much frosting I should make. Some recipes skimp on them, some recipes pile them on. I think I could do with less frosting for this one. Or maybe I'm just not used to eating it in a mini mountain shape. Although, I do feel that the proportion of cake to frosting was skewed towards the frosting side.

Unfortunately, I found the frosting a tad sweet, and it being the most outstanding part of the cupcake, well, let's just say thank goodness I have a sweet tooth. It was rich and milky, but not very coconut-ty.

As for the cake, it didn't do as well as I had hoped. It was a little dry and crumbly albeit with good vanilla flavour. Plus, it was light and fluffy too! Oh, and the recipe didn't direct me to toast the coconut, but I did and it was a good move on my part. Toasting the coconut always brings out the flavour and adds colour.

Coconut Snowball Cupcakes
from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking 

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup ice water
2 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup shredded, sweetened coconut *Toast it!

For the coconut pastry cream
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the coconut frosting 
1 1/2 cups sugar *I would reduce this.
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut pastry cream
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) . Line two 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners.

2. Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl and set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening together until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the egg, and beat until just combined. Turn the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the ice water, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.

4. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Do not over-beat. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Fold the shredded coconut into the batter.

5. Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and place them on the rack to cool completely.

Make the coconut pastry cream *I didn't bother to strain it.
1. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl.

2. In a medium saucepan over low heat, bring the half-and-half to a simmer. Add the unsweetened coconut, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes to let the coconut steep. Strain and discard the coconut.

3. In another medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, flour, and salt until the mixture is pale, about 1 minute. Whisk half of the warm half-and-half into the egg yolk mixture, then pour that mixture into the remaining half-and-half in the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Strain the pastry cream through the sieve and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate the coconut pastry cream for about 1 hour, or until chilled.

Make the coconut frosting
1. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes.

2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

3. Add the vanilla extract and 1/2 cup of the freshly made coconut pastry cream and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, put it in the refrigerator to chill slightly, then mix again until it is the proper consistency.

Assembly the cupcakes
1. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium tip with the remaining coconut pastry cream. Puncture the center of a cupcake with the tip and squeeze approximately 1 teaspoon of coconut pastry cream into the cupcake. Repeat for all cupcakes.

2. Frost the top of each cupcake with the coconut frosting and sprinkle with shredded coconut.

fruit tart.

When they say simple is best, sometimes they are right.

Although, looks can be deceiving. This is, after all, a multi component dessert. First we have the tart base, then frangipane, followed by pastry cream before topping it off with fresh fruits and a quick apricot glaze.

Oh and by the way, this tart dough hardly shrinks in the oven at all. We have a winner! The tart dough recipe is from smitten kitchen and yes it's great- flaky, buttery, but I overlooked one itsy bitsy little point in my rush of excitement.

It's for savory tarts.

Dang it. I was looking forward to a crumbly shortbread-like crust. But this isn't a bad second place either. I bet it would be great for a pie too.

A Great Savory Tart Shell

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, diced
1 egg

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and one-fourth teaspoon salt. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender, fork or two knives until it is in very tiny bits. Add one egg and mix with a fork until a dough forms. If this does not happen easily, toss it out onto a counter and knead it together. This dough is rather tough but with a little elbow grease, it does come together nicely. (Dough can also be made in a food processor, or as the original recipe suggests, in a stand mixer, though I have not tested in in the latter.)

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan and press to remove any air bubbles. Crimp the edges, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Proceed with a filling of your choice, no parbaking required.

The almond frangipane recipe I used was Rose Levy Beranbaum's which called for the use for almond extract to further boost the almond taste. I think that's really unnecessary. It added an artificial flavour which I didn't quite appreciate.


I used the same pastry cream as always. Apricot glaze is just melted down apricot jam. 


Yum...

milk chocolate passionfruit macarons.

These are probably my best attempt at macarons so far. They have a nice dome, adequately chewy interior, not too soggy and best of all, perfect feet. Every single one of them. I am so proud! Well, if you can just overlook the fact that the tops are not completely smooth.

Let's talk milk chocolate passionfruit ganache. I think the flavour combination keeps things interesting. Usually when you see a ganache, you'll automatically think hey! It's something super rich and chocolaty! But no, not in this ganache. You bite into one, and your taste buds go searching in the chocolate flavour profile archive. Then slowly, a fruity element kicks in and your taste buds go bonkers. 

What is this weird flavour? Passionfruit?

Ding ding ding! Bingo! 

The passionfruit cuts through the richness of the milk chocolate and makes you want to go for one more. Nah, maybe two. Or no one would notice I took three...

The only thing I don't quite like about using cocoa in the macarons shells is that it hides the wonderful flavour of almonds. And again, I firmly believe almonds should partner with light, refreshing fruity flavours. Although passionfruit is used here, it doesn't really count because the chocolate interferes. Nevertheless, it's a good macaron.

There are gazillions of macaron recipes out there, tutorials on how to make the perfect macaron shell but how many sources of how to fill a macaron are there? We can make a blemish-free macaron shell, but what's the point unless you know how to fill it? I think many of us bakers are often greedy and overfill the tiny rounds which can only lead to frustration and dirty fingers. This problem is even more prominent in fluid fillings, (warm) ganache included.

So, I would like to include my humble suggestion using ganache as an example (if you don't wish to fumble with a pastry bag that is). Spread a decent layer of ganache on each half of a macaron. Decent layer can mean about the usual amount you would fill one pair macaron shells. Freeze it briefly just to let the ganache harden and not flow all over the place. Then, to create what I like to call a "spare tyre" effect, sandwich two shells together and twist like you would an oreo. The filling should peek over the edges just a little. And there you have it! A macaron filled with double the usual amount and chaos free!

Of course, you can always add in another dollop of ganache before sandwiching the two halves together... I mean, no one is looking or anything...

Chocolate Passionfruit Macarons

recipe from Canellle et Vanille

Chocolate Macarons

100 grams egg whites
25 grams sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
225 grams powdered sugar
125 grams almond flour
15 grams cocoa powder
pinch of salt
Cocoa nib for topping *I just used cocoa powder since I don't have any nibs

Separate the egg whites at least 24 hours prior and even let them sit at room temperature for a few hours before starting to make the macarons. This will help them get rid of some moisture and become more acidic, which will help form a stable meringue.

Whip the egg whites and the lemon juice until they are almost fully whipped. Sprinkle in the sugar while still mixing. Continue to whip to a full meringue.

Sift the powdered sugar, salt, almond flour and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add the meringue into the dry ingredients and fold until a shiny mass is formed. We want it to spread a bit but not too much.

Pipe the macarons onto a silicon mat and sprinkle with cocoa nibs. Let the macarons dry at room temperature for 20 minutes or so. Bake them in a 300F for about 8 minutes. Rotate the sheetpan and bake for another 8 minutes. *It took me 18 minutes. Everybody's oven is different so judge based on your senses.

Milk Chocolate and Passion Fruit Ganache
100 grams milk chocolate
40 grams passion fruit puree
20 grams heavy cream
15 grams butter

Chop the milk chocolate into small pieces. Boil the passion fruit and heavy cream together and pour over chocolate. Stir until incorporated and the ganache forms. Wait a couple of minutes for the ganache to cool a bit and add the softened butter. Stir to create and emulsion. Let it harden a bit until it is pipeable and fill the macarons.

nutty sea salt cocoa bark.

It's been way too long since I made a crisp cookie. The last time I made one was... sometime? Anyway, this tuile-originated idea ignited my love for crispy cookies again.

Yup, these were actually cocoa tuiles, but transformed into an ebony slab as per Alice Medrich's suggestion. It was a variation with added nuts, parmesan cheese and sea salt, but I left out the cheese because me and cheese? No-no. 

 Yet another genius inspiration on sweet and salty! So there you were, munching on an what seems like an innocent shard of a chocolate bark then suddenly, a little salt comes into play, and it elevates the chocolate flavour. These are by no means the most intense chocolate cookies my fussy taste-buds have come across, but I couldn't help but wonder if I should make them again. This time, dipped in bittersweet chocolate. 

Oh yeah? Is that a great idea or what? And I should probably turn them into tuile cones as adorable little containers for ice cream! Vanilla bean flavoured only.

If you like to know the recipe, hop over here! I apologize deeply- I'm to lazy to type out the whole recipe.

Oh by the way, do any of you know how to combine pictures together? As in like four pictures in a big rectangle? If you do, please leave a comment. Much appreciated!

souffle cheesecake and white chocolate passionfruit mousse entremet.

My first attempt at sliced cakes and while they certainly are pretty to look at, there's just too much wastage. You have to measure how much to cut to be able to fit them on those little rectangular gold plates you see there and it involves a lot of trimming. A slice here, a swipe there, and you've just wasted what can amount to be a slice of cake.

Plus, it takes skill to cut a clean straight line.

But you have to admit, they're stunning. I've received praises on just how they look, and they haven't even tried it yet! A tiny neat dessert always ends up being sophisticated, no matter the flavour. Another downside? It's way way too small to satisfy my appetite. I always have a separate stomach for sweets! If you want something light to end your dinner though, this is one cake to look for.

Japanese souffle cheesecake, white chocolate passionfruit mousse, passionfruit jelly, coconut macaroon

I was searching for something fruity to make and I chanced upon this recipe in one of my favourite blogs. I tweaked it, incorporating passionfruit into the mousse and did away with a few other components as well as adding my own.

She used a white chocolate mousse and I substituted half of the milk for passionfruit puree according to her suggestion. I also added a passionfruit jelly topping since I wasn't going to make chantilly cream. Besides, I love the crunch! And I topped it off with the coconut macaroons I made yesterday. It somewhat had a tropical feel to it.

The cake was so moist, it didn't need the soaking syrup in the first place. In fact, I omitted it as I was going to freeze the cake and I was worried the syrup would ruin the texture if they were frozen together. It was also lightly cheesy so the mousse overpowered it, to me. Considering that I don't like cheese and all, this cake you definitely have to try!

The white chocolate was kind of lost in all of the passionfruit's fruitiness, but it did lend a richness. I think I would either cut down the puree to a third or use just a passionfruit mousse next time. I need to say this again- I love the coconut macaroon!

It wasn't easy assembling this cake. The base was no problem, I just used a 7 inch square pan, intending to trim it down to a 6 inch square. Then the obstacle course began. I had no 6 inch square ring, so I had to use a 7 inch one to contain the mousse. (After trimming, the cake was slightly smaller than 7 inch so I could not just leave it as it was.) As a result, the mousse was shorter than what it was supposed to be and there was excess hanging over the edges of the cake. I had to steel my heart and cut them away. Tsk...  Wastage, wastage...


Next was the jelly topping. Since I had no cake ring, I decided to use those plastic thingys to put around the sides of cakes, hoping that it would at least serve as a working mold. That was not to be, when majority of the jelly flowed down the sides through the gaps when I poured it over. And so, after whatever little jelly set, I had to trim the cake again. 

Thank goodness all that effort was worth it!

Please refer to her blog for the original recipe!

coconut macaroons.

No more macarons this time. Its macaroons. Coconut macaroons.

I can't believe I took so long to make this! Golden and slightly crisp on the outside, beautifully moist and chewy within- love it.

Just love it.

Plus, it's another great way to use up leftover egg white without having to resort to macarons. And being a one-bowl cookie doesn't hurt either.

I used Alice Medrich's recipe and although she clearly stated her preference for unsweetened dried coconut, I went ahead with sweetened shredded ones because that was what I had. She frowned upon them as they are artificially preserved. The sugar content doesn't change though, regardless of which kind you use.

Now I need to give them away before I devour the whole jar and have a private licking moment with it.

Captivating Coconut Macaron Cookies

recipe from ALICE MEDRICH

Yields 22 2 1/2 inch cookies 

4 large egg whites

3 cups of sweetened shredded coconut 

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place all ingredients into one heat proof bowl and set it over 2 inches of barely simmering water. Stir mixture, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to prevent any burning. Continue heating until the mixture is hot the touch and egg whites have thickened, about 6-7 minutes. Mixture is ready when a scoop can hold its shape without a puddle of syrup forming around it.

Scoop 2 tablespoons of the mixture and place it 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until edges of cooking and protruding parts are golden brown. Cool cookies completely before removing from paper.