Baileys-Marzipan-Kuchen

Baileys-Marzipan-Kuchen

175g Zucker 
2 Pck. Vanillezucker 
3 Eier 
200ml Baileys Irish Cream 
200ml Öl 
etwas Milch 
200g Mehl 
50g Speisestärke 
1 Pck. Backpulver 
100g Haselnüsse, gemahlen 
75g Marzipan 
etwas Puderzucker 

Eier, Zucker und Vanillezucker mit den Rührbesen des Handrührgerätes auf höchster Stufe 1 Minute schaumig rühren. Öl unterrühren. Das Mehl mit Speisestärke und Backpulver mischen, sieben und portionsweise auf mittlerer Stufe unterrühren. Den Teil in 2/3 und 1/3 teilen.

Unter den 2/3-Teig Baileys rühren. Die gemahlenen Haselnüsse zufügen und ebenfalls unterrühren. Unter den 1/3-Teig die Marzipanrohmasse rühren, evtl. etwas Milch beigeben.

Backofen auf 170°C Umluft vorheizen. Die Baileysmischung in einer gefetteten Springform verteilen. Die Marzipanmischung darüber verteilen. Nicht unterrühren. 50 Minuten im Backofen backen.

Danach in der Form etwas auskühlen lassen. Mit Puderzucker bestäuben und servieren.

Beer Bread

Beer Bread

3 cups flour
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
400-450ml beer

Combine flour, baking powder and salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar and 400-450ml of beer in a bowl and stir together with a wooden spoon until well combined. Pour the mixture into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 175°C, then drizzle with melted butter. Fragrant and tasty.

As seen on https://www.youtube.com/user/CookingAndCrafting

Fruit and Marzipan Pastries

Fruit and Marzipan Pastries

Fruit (plums, pineapple, apples, ...)
40 g marzipan divided into 4 even pieces
150 g puff or filo pastry, thawed if frozen
30 g unsalted butter, melted
4 tbsp toasted flaked almonds
1 tsp icing sugar mixed with a pinch of ground cinnamon


Preheat the oven to 180°C. Wash and prepare the fruit - cut in slices or pieces.

Cut the pastry into 4 pieces, if using filo pastry put 2 sheets of pastry on top of each other.

Pile 1 tbsp of the almonds in the centre of the pastry, place a piece of marzipan on top and top it off with the fruit. Scrunch the pastry up round the filling to form an old-fashioned moneybag shape.

Repeat with the remaining pastry, almonds and fruit to make 4 moneybags in all. Brush the pastries with butter.

Place on a non-stick baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Transfer the pastries to serving plates. Dust with the icing sugar and cinnamon and serve.

Toblerone Shortbread Cookies

Toblerone Shortbread Cookies

1 cup  unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup corn starch
50g Toblerone, chopped
120g Toblerone (the small bar), individual triangles separated

Preheat oven to 190°C. Line baking sheet with parchment.
In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add flour and cornstarch gradually while beating continuously. Beat until light. Add chopped Toblerone bits.
Drop tablespoons of dough and slightly flatten onto baking sheet. Squish Toblerone triangles in the middle of each cookie.
Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cool completely for best texture!

Marzipan Shortbread

Marzipan Shortbread

150g  Butter, kalt 
50g  Marzipanrohmasse 
50g  Zucker 
1 Prise  Salz 
200g  Mehl 
etwas  Zucker, zum Bestreuen 
evtl.  Schokolade  

Die Butter in kleine Stücke schneiden. Das Marzipan mit einer Gabel fein zerdrücken. Beides in einer Schüssel mit Zucker und Salz verrühren. Das Mehl in zwei Portionen darübersieben und gut verkneten. Den Teig in eine Frischhaltefolie wickeln und etwa 1 Stunde im Kühlschrank kaltstellen.

Ein Backblech mit Backpapier belegen.

Den Teig halbieren. Jede Hälfte etwa 1,5 cm dick ausrollen und in Rechtecke (ca. 2 x 6 cm) schneiden. Aufs Blech legen und gleichmäßig mit der Gabel ein Muster einstechen. Nochmals für 15 Minuten kühl stellen.

Backofen auf 160 Grad vorheizen.
Die Finger ca. 30 Minuten backen. Anschließend sofort mit Zucker bestreuen. Abkühlen lassen.
Die Rückseite der Fingers kann anschließend mit flüssiger chokolade bestrichen werden. Dafür die Schokolade vorher im Wasserbad (nicht zu heiß!) schmelzen.

In Blechdosen sind diese Kekse ca. 2-3 Wochen haltbar.
Ergibt ca. 35 Kekse.

Cream Cheese Pinwheels

Cream Cheese Pinwheels

226g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup jam

Heat the oven to 175°C and arrange a rack in the middle. Combine butter, sugar, and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl sides and bottom. Add egg yolk, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add flour and mix on low until the dough comes together.

Place dough in a piping bag fitted with a star tip, squeezing the dough toward the tip of the bag to eliminate air pockets. Twist the bag down tightly on the cookie dough and hold the bag at the point where you started the twist—this will be your squeezing hand. Use your other hand to guide the tip.
Hold the bag perpendicular to a baking sheet, aiming the tip where you want the center of the cookie to be. Squeezing firmly on the bag’s end, pipe the cookies by guiding the bag in a counterclockwise spiral out from the cookie’s center. Make only one full rotation, and try to keep the spiral as tight as possible.

With the end of a wooden spoon, make an indentation about 120mm wide and 120mm deep in the center of each spiral; dip the spoon handle in flour if it sticks to the cookie dough.
Place the jam in a resealable plastic bag and squeeze it into one corner. Cut a little piece off the corner. Pipe enough jam into each cookie indentation to fully fill; don’t overfill or the jam will run out onto the cookie.

Bake cookies until the edges are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a rack to cool.

(I found the dough way too stiff for a piping bag - roll the dough into balls instead and use the wooden spoon to make an indentation which can then be filled with the jam)

Baileys Cheesecake

Baileys Cheesecake

Crust:
170g Bourbon biscuits
70g melted butter

Filling:
600g (room temperature) cream cheese
130g sugar
3 eggs (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla extract
120ml Bailey's Irish Cream
40ml double cream
100g dark chocolate

Recipe for a 20cm springform pan.

Process the biscuits in a food processor until finely ground. Add the melted butter and combine until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the greased springform pan. Bake at 175°C for about 7 minutes. Let the crust cool while preparing the filling.

Cream together the cream cheese and sugar, then add the eggs, one at a time, and incorporate. Ad vanilla, Baileys and cream and mix together until well combined and there are no more lumps in the mixture.

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the pre-baked crust.

Melt the dark chocolate and drizzle it over the cream cheese mixture (it may partially sink into the cream cheese mixture).

Wrap the springform in 2 layers of tin foil and put it into a larger ovenproof dish. Pour boiling water into the larger dish, around the springform.

Bake in the hot water bath for 20 minutes @ 175°C, then turn down oven to 110°C and bake for 110 minutes longer. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight till cold.

Blechlebkuchen

Blechlebkuchen

350g Zucker
4 Eier
1 Pkg. Lebkuchengewürz
2-3 EL Kakao
320g Mehl
1 Pkg. Backpulver
125ml Sprudelwasser
250ml Öl

Alle Zutaten zu einem Teig verrühren. Bei 175°C ca. 30 Minuten backen. Mit Schokoglasur bestreichen und auf den noch weichen Schokoguss Kokosflocken streuen.

Weihnachtsbällchen

Weihnachtsbällchen

250 g  Butter 
100 g  Zucker 
1 Pkg.  Vanillezucker 
300 g  Mehl 
100 g  Mandel(n), gehackt oder gemahlen 
100 g  Kokosraspel 
   Puderzucker 


Aus den Zutaten, außer dem Puderzucker, einen Mürbeteig herstellen, kleine Kugeln formen und im vorgeheizten Backofen (180°C) auf einem mit Backpapier ausgelegtem Blech etwa 17 Min. backen (überprüfen, jeder Ofen ist anders).
Den Puderzucker sieben und die noch heißen Kugeln darin wälzen, dann abkühlen lassen.

As seen on www.checfkoch.de

French Onion Green Bean Casserole

French Onion Green Bean Casserole


For the onions:
2 tbsp butter
2 or 3 yellow onions, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

For the white sauce:
2 tbsp butter
2 1/2 tbsp flour
2 1/2 cups milk
pinch of nutmeg
cayenne to taste
1/4 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

For the topping:
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 tbsp melted butter

For the rest:
900g green beans, trimmed, blanched
salt and pepper to taste
115g grated Gruyere cheese, divided
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

For the caramelised onions, slice the onions thinly. Once sliced, saute them over medium heat in some melted butter with a pinch of salt until they are caramelised (about 15 minutes). Add the vinegar. Set aside.

For the white sauce, melt some butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook the butter/flour mixture for 3 minutes. Then slowly whisk in the cold milk, keep whisking constantly. Season with salt, cayenne pepper, dried thyme and nutmeg. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken as it simmers, once it has come to a simmer let it cook for 2-3 minutes, then set aside.

Wash and trim the beans, then blanch them in salted water for about 3 minutes. Drain well.

In a casserole dish (35x25 cm) spread out half of the onion mixture. Spread the beans on top, season with salt and pepper. Spread the white sauce evenly over the beans. Spread half of the gruyere over the top. Top it with the rest of the onions and spread evenly. Mix the breadcrumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top. Finally, top with the rest of the gruyere and some parmesan.

Bake at 190°C for 30 minutes.
Let sit for 10-15 minutes and serve.

As seen on www.foodwishes.com

Roast Spicy Squash

Roast Spicy Squash

2 large butternut squash, halved and deseeded
1 tsp (or more) dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp coriander, ground
1 tbsp cinnamon, ground
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cut the squash into chunks. Mix together the spices with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Place the squash in a roasting tray, drizzle over some olive oil, sprinkle over the spices and toss until the squash is coated. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Shortcrust pastry (store bought or homemade) for a 30cm pie plate
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
2 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Put your shortcrust pastry into a 30cm pie plate. Beat the eggs with a wire whisk until light and frothy. Whisk in milk and vanilla extract. Add brown and white sugars and flour and mix in. Pour in hot melted butter right from the microwave and incorporate. Add the roughly chopped pecans and stir in.
Scatter dark chocolate chips over the pastry and carefully pour over the pecan filling, spread evenly. Tap the pie plate lightly to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat to 175°C and bake for another 40 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set.
Let cool completely and serve at room temperature. Serve as is, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

As seen on www.foodwishes.com

Apple Cinnamon Loaf

Apple Cinnamon Loaf

3 eggs
170g white sugar
150g flour
1/3 sachet (or 2 tsp) baking powder
150g butter
1 Golden Delicious apple
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Melt the butter and incorporate it into the egg mixture. Peel and finely grate the apple, stir it into the batter.
Pour the batter into a lightly greased and floured loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes.

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread

Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounce package (227 grams) full fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar
1 large egg

Pumpkin Bread:
3 1/2 cups (450 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
1 cup (240 ml) chopped walnuts
4 large eggs
2 cups (400 grams) granulated white sugar
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 - 15 ounce can (425 grams) pure pumpkin 
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 180°C and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter and lightly flour two 23 x 13 x 8 cm loaf pans.
Cream Cheese Filling:
With a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and egg and process just until smooth and creamy. Do not over process. Set aside.
Pumpkin Bread: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground spices. Stir in the chopped nuts.
In another large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Add the sugar and melted butter and whisk to combine.  Whisk or stir in the pumpkin, water, and vanilla extract.
Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the ingredients are combined and moistened. Do not over mix as it will make the bread tough.
Divide the batter in half. Take one half and divide it evenly between the two prepared pans. Divide the cream cheese filling in half and place each half on top the two pans of batter, smoothing the tops. Top with the remaining half of batter (use two spoons to place small dollops of batter on top of the filling). Bake the breads for about 55 - 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean (a few moist crumbs is okay). 
Place pans on a wire rack and let cool for about 10 minutes before removing breads from pans. Can serve warm, cold, or at room temperature. Store leftovers in the refrigerator or else freeze for later use.
Makes 2 loaves.

As seen on www.joyofbaking.com

Nutty White Chocolate Blondies

Nutty White Chocolate Blondies

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted
1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 cup nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 cup white chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 175°C and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat a 23 x 33 cm baking dish with butter and flour; set aside.
Combine butter and brown sugar in a large bowl and stir until evenly incorporated. Add vanilla, salt, and baking powder, and stir until thoroughly combined.
Add eggs, and stir briefly until evenly incorporated. Add flour, and stir until just incorporated (no white streaks should remain). Stir in nuts and chips until just combined.
Transfer batter to the prepared baking dish, and bake until golden brown and set, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.

As seen on www.chow.com

Swedish meatballs

Swedish Meatballs

200g minced beef
250g minced pork
1 egg
1 small onion, finely diced
large handful of breadcrumbs (100g)
pinch of nutmeg
oil for frying
200ml beef stock
200ml double cream
bag of new potatoes
fresh dill chopped
(4 tbsp cranberry sauce)


Mmix beef & pork mince, nutmeg, finely diced onion, breadcrumbs and egg together with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
Roll and shape the mixture into walnut-sized meatballs.
Place the washed potatoes into a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Heat some oil in a non-stick pan and fry the meatballs until they brown all over.
Drain off any excess fat from the bottom of the pan.
Add the beef stock and cream to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce and cook the meatballs through.
Chop the dill and stir through the sauce at the last moment before serving with the drained potatoes (and with a dollop of cranberry sauce on the side if desired).

As seen at www.sortedfood.com

Chocolate and Cinnamon Cookies

Chocolate and Cinnamon Cookies

150 g dark chocolate
125 g soft butter
125 g brown sugar
1 egg
180 g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
75 g white chocolate
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Chop up both chocolates into pieces. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder and cinnamon and stir together until combined. In another bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and creamy. Add the egg and combine. Then incorporate the flour mixture. Once done, add both chocolates and mix it in.
Put the dough on a sheet of greaseproof paper and roll it up into a log with a diameter of about 4 cm, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Once the dough is nice and chilled, remove the paper and cut the log into 0.5 cm slices. Place the slices on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for about 12-15 minutes (or if you make larger cookies, bake for about 18-20 minutes).

Tassenkuchen mit Obst

Tassenkuchen mit Obst

3 Tassen Mehl
2 Tassen Zucker
1 Tasse Mineralwasser
1 Tasse Öl
4 Eier
1 Pck. Backpulver
1 Pck. Vanillezucker
Obst nach Belieben (Pflaumen bzw. Zwetschgen oder Marillen bzw. Aprikosen) - z.B. 5 Pflaumen, in feine Scheiben geschnitten
etwas Puderzucker zum Bestreuen

Das Obst waschen, entsteinen und schneiden.
Aus den restlichen Zutaten einen Rührteig herstellen. Die Hälfte davon in einer vorbereiteten Springform verteilen und das Obst darüber verteilen. Danach die andere Hälfte Teig darüber gießen.
Bei 180°C auch ca. 60 Min. backen, bis der Kuchen schön goldbraun geworden ist.
Etwas Puderzucker darüber streuen - herrlich!

Gefüllte Zucchini

Gefüllte Zucchini

500 g Hackfleisch
2 Zwiebeln
2 Knoblauchzehen
1 Dose stückige Tomaten
2 EL Tomatenmark
Salz, Pfeffer
Basilikum, Oregano
2 große Zucchini
150 g Käse, gerieben

Die Zwiebeln und den Knoblauch fein schneiden und anrösten. Dann das Hackfleisch mit anrösten, würzen, die Dose Tomaten und das Tomatenmark dazugeben. Das Ganze dann so lange einkochen lassen, bis der Saft eingedickt ist. In der Zwischenzeit die Zucchini der Länge nach halbieren und ein wenig aushöhlen. Nun die Zucchini mit der Masse füllen. Das Backrohr auf 180 Grad vorheizen und die Zucchini 20 Min. braten lassen. Dann nochmals rausnehmen, den Käse darauf verteilen und wieder hineingeben, bis der Käse geschmolzen ist, ca. 5-10 Min.

Zucchinikuchen / Zucchinimuffins

Zucchinikuchen / Zucchinimuffins

1 Tasse Zucker
1 Pck.Vanillezucker
3 Eier
1 Tasse Öl
1 TL Zimt
2 Tassen Zucchini, gerieben
3 Tassen Mehl
1/2 Pck. Backpulver
100g Nüsse/Mandeln, gemahlen

Eier, Zucker, Vanillezucker, Öl u. Zimt nach und nach verrühren.
Geriebene Zucchini unterheben. Mehl- Backpulver vermischen, unterrühren und die Nüsse zum Schluss unterheben.
Eine Kastenform mit Backpapier auslegen oder Muffinförmchen einfetten. Den Teig einfüllen. Als Kuchen bei 180 Grad etwa 1 Stunde backen, Muffins bei 180 Grad etwa 25 Minuten backen.
Dieser Kuchen ist sehr saftig und lange lagerfähig ohne trocken zu werden. Mit Schokoladenguss überziehen oder mit Puderzucker bestäuben.

Beetroot and Goat's Cheese Tart

Beetroot and Goat's Cheese Tart

 

400g cooked beetroot

 

1 1/3 cups (200g) plain flour

100g chilled butter, chopped

1 tsp thyme leaves

 

30g butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2 red onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup (60ml) balsamic vinegar

2 tsp thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs

1 tbsp caster sugar
 

150g soft goat's cheese

2 eggs, lightly beaten

150ml thickened cream

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Cut the beetroot into thin slices.

 

For the pastry, place flour, butter, thyme and a pinch salt in a food processor and whiz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add 1/4 cup (60ml) chilled water, then process until the mixture comes together in a ball. Enclose in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Lightly grease a 30cm loose-bottomed tart pan. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 5mm thick, then use to line the tart pan. Chill for 15 minutes.

 

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line pastry with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and weights, then bake for 5 minutes or until dry and pale golden.

 

Heat the butter and oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add onions and 1 tsp salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until softened. Add vinegar, thyme and sugar, then cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until thickened and syrupy. Spread onion mixture over the tart base, top with the beetroot slices, then crumble over cheese.

 

Whisk egg, cream and nutmeg together and pour over the tart. Scatter with extra thyme. Bake for 35 minutes or until set.

 

Serve warm.

Soda Bread

Homemade Soda Bread

1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp white sugar (optional)
2 tbsp rolled oats (optional)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 190°C and place the rack in the centre of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, oats, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add most of the buttermilk. Using yours hands, or a wooden spoon, mix (adding more buttermilk if necessary) until you have a soft moist dough.
Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough into a 18 cm round that is about 2.5 cm thick. Place the round on your prepared baking sheet and then, with a sharp knife or clean kitchen scissors, cut an "X" across the top of the bread.

Bake for about 40 - 50 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the bread comes out clean. You can also test that is fully baked by tapping the bottom of the bread - it should sound hollow.

Rainy Sunday breakfast as good as it gets

Old fashioned pancakes (with maple butter and hazelnut coffee)

1 1/2 cups plain flour

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp white sugar

1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg

3 tbsp melted butter

 

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl and mix together.

Combine milk and egg in a separate bowl and whisk together. Add the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir together. Once combined, stir in the melted butter.

In a buttered pan, bake pancakes as large or as small as you prefer. Turn the pancakes when bubbles start to form on top.

Serve with maple butter or butter and maple syrup.

Maple Leaves (Maple Walnut Scones)

Maple Leaves (Maple Walnut Scones)

Scones

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp cold butter

1/3 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

1 large egg

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup whole milk

2 tbsp maple syrup

Icing

1 cup icing sugar

1 tbsp maple syrup

4 tsp whole milk

Preheat oven to 190°C. Combine the flour, oats, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

Use a pastry knife or a fork to cut the cold butter into the dry mixture.
Stir in the chopped walnuts. Use an electric mixer to combine the egg, brown sugar, milk, and maple syrup in a medium bowl.

Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and blend with electric mixer until firm, then use your hands to mix the dough until you can form it into a ball. Pat the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 3cm thick. Shape the dough into a rectangle and use a cookie cutter or a glass to cut out shapes, or just cut the dough in triangles.

Arrange the scones on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or just until the scones begin to turn light brown on the edges.

As the scones cool, combine the icing ingredients in a bowl. When scones have cooled, spread with icing.

Falafel balls

Falafel balls

2 cans of chickpeas, drained (400g each)
handful of fresh parsley
handful of fresh chives
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp of chilli flakes
1 tsp Tahini
juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp of plain flour

Place all the ingredients in a food processor (or finely chop everything and mash together) and blitz until it forms a lumpy mix, season with salt and pepper to your taste preference.
Roll the mix into small balls just smaller than a golf ball… use slightly wet hands to avoid getting messy.
Fry the falafels in a hot pan with oil until crispy on the outside and hot right through.

Makes about 16 falafels.

Blueberry Shortbread Bars (by Foodwishes.com)

 

Blueberry Shortbread Bars

 

 

Ingredients for 12 bars:

185g (by weight) AP flour (about 1 1/2 cups of sifted flour, aka not packed)

1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Chinese 5-spice (or a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg)

115g (1/2 cup) very cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon ice water, dripped over mixture

about 3/4 cup blueberries, or enough to cover surface

 

 

Put flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Using a whisk, whisk the dry ingredients until very well combined (alternatively, sift the ingredients together into the bowl). Add a pinch of Chinese 5-spice (or a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg), mix into the flour. Add the cubed butter and cut it into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter, fork or your fingertips. When the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, add the egg yolk. Keep cutting yolk and butter into the flour. Add the iced water and keep mixing until you have a crumby, dry looking mixture which will, however, come together to a dough when squeezing it between your fingers. Pour about three quarters of the mixture into a lightly greased square 22cm baking dish. Press down the mixture firmly with the back of a spoon. Add blueberries in a single layer with the berries not quite touching each other. Pour over the rest of the shortbread mixture and press down lightly onto the blueberries. Bake at 190°C for 30-35 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

(as seen on http://foodwishes.blogspot.ie/2012/08/blueberry-shortbread-bars-please-dont.html)