Cookies

So I decided to give my artistic director a box of home made cookies but can't make up my mind on what flavors. I was so excited after reading through my Martha Stewart's cookies book.  I thought to myself the more the merrier and I chose four varieties. 

Top left corner- Chocolate Almond Cookies

My mum 'stole' this recipe from my aunty. Apparently these Chocolate Almond Cookies were sold at some fancy upscale hotel in Singapore. And yes! You can use Chocolate Chips instead of almonds if you are allergic to nuts.

Top right corner- Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

These cookies are so soft when they first come out of the oven and when cooled, they become chewy and nice.

I followed Martha Stewart's Cookies book.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chewy-chocolate-gingerbread-cookies-2

Bottom left corner - Chocolate and Pistachio Biscotti

I used to frequent Olio Dome and they always serve their coffee and hot chocolate with a small piece of biscotti.  Nowadays, cafes sell many variety of biscotti and some are even coated with chocolate.

I followed Martha Stewart's Cookies book.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chocolate-pistachio-biscotti?autonomy_kw=chocolate%20pistacho%20biscotti&rsc=header_3

Bottom right corner- Sugar Cookies

So if its Christmas you use Gingerbread man cookie cutter. If its Valentine's Day you use a heart shaped cookie cutter. How easy can it be? These sugar cookies are so easy to make and look inviting both plain or with festively decorated with royal icing. 

I followed Martha Stewart's Cookies book.

http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=a3e9a8e8ef665110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default

Kueh Pie Tee

Also known as 'Top Hats', this turnip-filled topped with your choice of shrimp, crab meat and maybe lobster meat for the Bostonians? It's relatively easy to make the filling but the Kueh Pie Tee case is a challenge. I had to get my sister from Singapore to send me the mold so I can make me some Kueh Pie Tee cases. I've looked everywhere in Arizona to Chinatown in Los Angeles to no avail. 

These little snacks are so pretty to look at and easy to enjoy since its bite-size. 

I followed Rose's Kitchen recipe:

http://roseskitchen.wordpress.com/?s=kueh+pie+tee

Baklava

I fell in love with this Turkish sweet pastry when I was studying in Australia. Walking down Cappuccino Strip in Freo, my eyes were drawn to the multi-layered phyllo pastry filled with chopped almonds and walnuts and sweetened with honey. And of course, you can use any chopped nuts, pistachio is a popular choice. 

I followed Donna Hay's Modern Classics Book II.

Blueberry Muffins

I think blogging helped me to realize something about myself--> I love variety.

So when you think about muffin, there are so many different ingredients you can add into the batter to transform the basic muffin to anything you can imagine. (From Apple to Blueberry to Cherry Muffins)

I followed Donna Hay's Modern Classics Book II

http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/ild/2004/0104/muffins.html

Kueh Lapis

When I was in Indonesia, I tried one of the best Kueh Lapis and interestingly they added plum on the top of the cake. As a kid I always wondered how did they do it, how did they managed to make so many layers in a cake.

The answer I found many years later-Many hours of standing in the kitchen in front of the oven!

You actually have to keep an eye on the cake and every two minutes you have to bring out the cake from the oven and add another spoonful of cake batter. The process sounds mundane but rather rewarding when there is no Bengawan Solo in USA.

And when you realized you have to use 25 egg yolks and only 5 egg whites, you wonder what are you going to do with the 20 egg whites. Here's the solution, make French Macarons. 

I followed the recipe from Rose's Kitchen. 

http://roseskitchen.wordpress.com/2007/01/11/kueh-lapis-legit/

Madeleines

These delicate shell-shaped cakes are pleasing to the eyes, deliciously dangerous to pop one after another and best of all, its really easy to make. That is if you managed to find the scallops-shaped molds. Instead of making the classic madeleines, you can also opt to make green-tea, lemon-poppy seed or dark chocolate ones. 

Almond Cookies

They usually make their appearances during Chinese New Year but I just make them whenever I want to. These Almond Cookies just melts in your mouth and before your mind can process the goodness coming from your mouth, your fingers are reaching for the second cookie.

If the recipe comes from a grandma, you can be sure that this Almond Cookies are good.

Chocolate French Macarons with Dark Chocolate Ganache

They look like colorful hamburgers. They are not the same as the coconut macaroons. And they are heavenly with their crisp crust and soft chewy interior.

These little macarons are simply irresistible. It takes time to make them and just a bite and its gone. I followed the recipe from David Lebovitz's website. 

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2005/10/french_chocolat.html

There are so many combinations for the macarons' flavors. Do spend some time browsing Tartelette's blog. Or just use your own imagination and come up with your concoctions.

http://www.tartelette.blogspot.com/