Bee’s Kitchen

Okay tried again with the cookie press this time with a chocolate spritz recipe, the batter was slightly more thicker but they turned out the same. AHhHhhH why!!!!!!

I was so excited about getting to use a cookie press i quickly made up a batch of batter to put in my press. It took me a while to get a hang of it, and the cookies looked so pretty when they squirted out, when they started cooking in the oven they started spreading, and came out really thin. So i’m on the hunt to find a a recipe that will give a more decent sized cookie and doesn’t come out waffer thin.

i made some cookies for ‘The Man’ too, but they kinda didn’t look as good as the batch of shortbread cookies, they tasted okay, just not as moist as i would have wanted them too.

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
1 egg ( separated)
3 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup macadamia nuts (chopped)

Cream butter and sugar, then add egg yolk, beating until light and fluffy.

Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt. Add to creamed mixture with milk, blending well. Chill in refridgerater for 1 hour.

Using a teaspoon, roll dough into balls and flatten onto baking tray. Bake Macadamia cookies at 180 degrees C for 10 to 15 minutes.

These are so tasty, not too sweet, great with a cup of coffee and tea. I’m going to take them to my parents place tomorrow for my big brother’s birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY A!

125 grams butter (cubed)
1/4 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup corn flour
1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven for 180 degrees celcius and line a tray with baking paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar together in medium bowl till you have a light yellow colour.
3. Add vanilla essence to mixture then sift in flour and stir till combined.
4. Drop teaspoons of cookie mixture onto tray, leaving them 2 cm apart.
5. Place in oven for 10 minutes, remove from heat and carefully place on a cooling rack. Once cool these can be stored in an air tight container.

Cupcakes are great, eating one is like having a whole little cake all to yourself. I have not made cupcakes in such a long time so did a quick search on the web to find a suitable recipe. The recipe is originally from Billy Reece of Billy’s Bakery from New York, who shared his recipe on the Martha Stewart Show.

I didn’t finish making them till very late! I also made some with Billy’s Chocolate Buttercream, and my very own pink ones with the Vanilla buttercream recipe, adding some strawberry jam and pink food colouring. And yes this cupcake recipe is a keeper!

Preparation Time – 20 minutes
Cooking Time – 20 minutes

Makes – 30

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Billy’s Vanilla Buttercream

Makes – 30 cupcakes

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
6 to 8 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency.

A perfect dessert for those with a sweet tooth, this recipe only takes 15 minutes to prepare, then its straight into the oven. We love to serve this with vanilla ice cream!

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 granny smith apples (cored, peeled, sliced)
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup instant rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Prepare the apples then place in baking dish.

Place flour, oats, sugar and cinnamon in bowl, rub in the butter using your fingertips till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Then sprinkle on top of the apples.

Bake for 45 minutes in oven or till lightly browned on top and apples are cooked through.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

When going through the isle at the grocery store I came across Cadbury’s Dark Cooking Chocolate, and there on the back was the recipe for Macadamia Brownies, The Man commented last time I made brownies that I didn’t have the bits he likes in it, but couldn’t tell me what type of bits they were. So finally found out they were Macadamia nuts!

Ingredients

150 g unsalted butter (chopped)
250 g Cadbury Dark Cooking Chocolate (chopped)
11/2 cups caster sugar
4 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup plain flour (sifted)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup macadamia nuts (cut in half)

Method

Preheat oven to 140 degrees C. Line a 20cm x 30cm slice pan with baking paper.

Combine butter and chocolate and melt in a bowl over a medium saucepan; stir over low heat until chocolate is just melted.

Add sugar, egg, vanilla, flour, sour cream and nuts.

Stir until well combined. Spread mixture into prepared pan.

Bake for 35 minutes or until brownie forms a crust on the outside. Allow to cool and slice.

My ET friend asked me today if i knew how to make this, I never thought making creme brulee would be so easy, i love having this when going out, and i always thought it would be complicated to do at home. So off i went to the shops to buy all the ingredients and hunt down ramekins, translation: little dishes used for baking and serving. This recipe i’m using is from Fresh Tv, hosted by Geoff Jansz and Lyndey Milan. Have a look at mine they turned out really well!! YUMMY!! and it was a ‘blast’ blow torching the tops to create a delicious crunchy layer.

Ingredients

600ml cream
vanilla pod, split, scraped
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
caster sugar, for brulee topping

Method

Preheat oven to 140 degrees C; fan-forced. Put kettle on to boil.

Combine cream and vanilla pod in a medium saucepan. Bring just to a boil, before removing from the heat.

Meanwhile, beat yolks and sugar together in large bowl until well combined. Pour warm milk over yolk mixture, stirring continuously.

Strain mixture into a medium jug; remove any bubbles from the surface.

Pour into four ramekins. Place in deep baking dish. Gently transfer to preheated oven, before pouring boiling water into the baking dish to come half way up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until desserts are lightly set with a distinct wobble in the centre.
Remove from baking dish and refrigerate, covered, 4 hours or until very cold.

To brulee the desserts: evenly sprinkle each dessert with approximately 2 teaspoons caster sugar. Light blow torch, and gently caramelise sugar to create a hard caramel layer. Watch carefully to ensure the sugar does not burn.

A really nice hot dessert after dinner, this sweet soup even taste good cold. My friend TT likes this dessert without ginger, so try it yourself and find out what you prefer.

Ingredients

1 sweet potato
1 L water
2 slices ginger
3 sticks of brown sugar

Method

1. Bring water to boil in pot, then add ginger and sweet potato that has been cut into chunks.
2. Once sweet potato is cooked add in brown sugar, stir till melted, add extra if you like sweeter.