MOTHER'S DAY SPRITZ COOKIES

 To All The Beautiful Mothers Out There.

Thank You For All You Do!

One relationship which is always with us is the one we share with our mothers. They are our guiding force and are responsible for making us who we are. Mothers also shape our lives and our personalities and crediting them for the same is something one should do at every opportunity. We might have our own individualistic approach in paying tribute to these amazing people in our lives, our mothers.

So to satisfy Mum's sweet tooth this Mother’s day why use your cookie press only at Christmas? The Cookie Pro ULTRA II Cookie Press includes disc shapes that are perfect for pressing Mother's Day cookies. Decorate them with Candy Melts candy and decorative sugars or nonpareils for a treat she'll treasure.

INGREDIENTS

WILTON COLOR RIGHT PERFORMANCE COLOR SYSTEM

$24.99 or Pink food colouring

WHITE NONPAREILS

$2.29 or Small white ball shape sprinkles

12 ounces White Candy Melts® Candy

Instructions

Step 1

Cookie Dough Colors Tinted

Use Color Right base colors and QuickCount color formula to tint cookie dough in the following shade:

--Pink: 1/2 spritz dough recipe + 3 P

--Yellow: 1/2 spritz dough recipe + 3 Y

OR a drop or two of pink food colouring

Step 2

Make cookies. Prepare dough and tint as directed above. Use cookie press to press cookies on cookie sheet. Bake and cool cookies.

Step 3

Decorate flower cookies. Use melted white Candy Melts candy in a cut parchment bag to outline petals. Chill until firm, about 3 to 5 minutes. Pipe dot center and sprinkle with white nonpareils. Chill until firm, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 4

Decorate ornament cookies. Use melted white Candy Melts candy in a cut parchment bag to drizzle cookies. Chill until firm, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Steph

Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

We have reached the month of April and the month of Easter, what better way to celebrate than with the traditional hot cross bun. Chocolate hot cross buns are best served warm for the full mouth watering experience.

Ingredients:

• 600g plain flour

• 2 tsp dry yeast

• 60g brown sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp mixed spice

• 1/4 cup cocoa

• 2 tsp salt

• 2 eggs

• 250ml milk, lukewarm

• 2 tbsp orange marmalade, chopped

• 40g unsalted butter, softened

• ½ cup currants

• ½ cup small chocolate chips or chopped chocolate buttons

• 1 tbsp mixed peel, optional

• Crosses Plain flour

• Water

• Glaze ½ cup caster sugar

• ½ cup water

Method:

1. Mix together the flour, yeast, sugar, cinnamon, mixed spice, cocoa and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, add milk, eggs and marmalade.
3. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet or, if using a stand mixer with a dough-hook, wet mixture to the dry.
4. When mixed through, knead in the softened butter, then the choc-chips and currants/mixed peel. Knead for 5 more minutes.
5. Spray a large bowl with canola oil, put dough in, and cover with cling film. Allow to prove until it doubles in size (mine took about 1 hour).
6. Re-knead for 3 minutes and then divide into 15 rolls, place them on a greased baking tray about 2cm apart, re-cover with cling wrap and leave to prove a second time until they double in size.
7. Preheat oven to 190°C.
8. Put the crosses on the buns by mixing some flour and water in a zip lock bag until it makes a runny-ish paste. Cut the corner off the zip lock bag and pipe on the crosses.
9. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes until they start to brown on top.
10. Whilst hot, make the glaze by boiling the ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved. Brush on with a pastry brush.
    
    
    
    By Hovig

St Patrick's Shamrock Cookies

MARCH: We are one quarter into the year and I ask all of our readers to put on your leprechaun hats to celebrate the All green St Patrick's Day that falls on March 17, so this month’s dessert will be dedicated to the love of desserts and celebrating the traditional and religious event that marks the day of Saint Patrick's Death known as the apostle of Ireland, observed by the catholic church in the early 17^th century. In accordance to what the history of St Patrick’s is all about. Let’s talk about how we are going to fill our tummies for this joyous celebration. This month’s desserts are a quick and easy recipe:

 “ST PATRICKS SHAMROCK COOKIES” – we all know what cookies taste like, but just in case you don’t- Cookies have a unique irresistible taste. Cookies are creamy, and ooze with a delicious buttery taste; the crunchy, golden texture compliments the smooth, yet sweet chocolate chips (if added), and almost melts in your mouth… Cookies… Heaven.

Recipe

INGREDIENTS

·        1⁄4 cup packed brown sugar

·        1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract

·        1 cup flour

·        1⁄4 teaspoon salt

·        1⁄2 cup butter or 1⁄2 cup margarine, softened

·        Check Out Our Top Rolled Recipe

·        Check Out Our Top Rolled Recipe

DIRECTIONS

-          Preheat oven to 325°F

-          In a medium bowl, beat butter or margarine and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.

-          Stir in vanilla.

-          Add flour and salt to the butter and blend well.

-          With a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/4-inch thick.

-          Cut out cookies using a 3 inch Shamrock cookie cutter and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

-          Re-roll scraps.

-          Sprinkle green sugar crystals on each cookie.

-          Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until cookies are pale golden, not brown.

-          Let stand 2 minutes.

-          Remove to a rack and let cool completely.

By Mary Luluga 

Valentine’s Day Dessert: Chocolate Lava Cake for Two

 Can you believe it’s almost Christmas Day ? and in the month of Feb Valentines Day is just around the corner. So to add to our monthly desserts learn how to make Chocolate Lava Cake for the perfect treat to share with a special someone (or yourself) this 

Valentine’s Day!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for ramekins
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for ramekins and serving
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• Pinch salt
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter two 6-ounce ramekins, then dust with sugar. Place butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 20-second increments, stirring after each, until melted. Let cool slightly.

2.    Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, sugar, espresso powder, and salt. Add chocolate mixture; whisk to combine. Add flour, and whisk just until combined (do not overmix). Pour batter into prepared ramekins. (Recipe can be made ahead up to this point.)

3.   Bake until a toothpick inserted 1/2 inch from edge of ramekins comes out clean, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out wet, 10 to 12 minutes (do not overbake). Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around inside of ramekins to loosen. Invert cakes onto serving plates. Dust with sugar; serve immediately.

 Stephanie 

Summer Cool Off: Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ice-cream Sandwiches

Here in Australia, being in the middle of summer, January calls for a quick tasty cold treat which is easy to make and can cool you down on a hot summers day. What better way to do it then with ice-cream sandwiches.

What you will need:

• A tub of your favourite ice-cream flavour

• A variety of cookies and waffles, preferably soft

What to do:

1. Sandwich a scoop of ice-cream between 2 cookies or waffles.

2. Serve instantly or freeze in a container for up to 3 days.

By Hovig Kahwajian