Sugar Cookies

As Christmas is around the corner,wanted to share some Holiday themed cookies.When I was listing down the recipes,my son suggested to share the sugar cookies.
Coming to the recipe,the cookies are crunchy and mouth melting,my lil one had 3-4 cookies as soon as I took it from the oven.
The icing part is little time consuming and I am not happy with my icing as well as my pictures.By the time I finished my icing,it was around 3 PM and getting dark.Kids were waiting to taste the cookies,will update the pictures soon.Lets move on to the recipe.....

                                                                       

                                                             

                                            Sugar Cookies

                                                                  

   Basic Information

   Preparation time 35-40 minutes(including icing)

   Cooking time 12-16 minutes

   Resting time 1 hour
    Makes  12 cookies

    

   Ingredients

  

Ingredient	Quantity
All purpose flour/maida	1 cup
Butter/vennai	1/2 cup
Sugar/sakkarai	1/2 cup
Baking soda	1/8 tsp
Salt	a generous pinch
Milk	2-3 tbs+2 tbs for icing
Vanilla	1 tsp
Icing sugar/confectionery sugar	2 cups
Gel colors	few drops
Colorful sprinkles	as needed

  

    Method 

• Mix in all purpose flour,salt and baking soda,keep it aside.Beat together butter and sugar till it becomes creamy.Add in the vanilla and mix it well.Add in the flour and milk alternatively and mix it well. 

•  Wrap the prepared dough in a cling wrap.Refrigerate it for an hour.Now take out the dough and slightly dust it with flour.Roll the dough with a rolling pin to thin and cut it with the cookie cutter.Arrange it on a lined baking tray.

• Preheat the oven at 350 F and bake it for 10-12 minutes or the edges turned brown.Allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.Meanwhile take the icing sugar in a bowl and slowly add the milk and mix it till it reaches a dropping consistency.Divide it according to the number of colors needed.Add in the gel color in each portion and mix it well.Fill it in a piping bag or ziplock bag.

• Once the cookies are completely cool down,decorate the top of the cookies and sprinkle some colorful sprinkles on the top .Let it sit for another 2 hours on the counter to set the icing completely.

• Store it in an airtight container.

                                                  

                                                                                

• Do icing,once the cookies are cool down completely.
• The amount of sugar given is for a perfect sweet,as we are doing the icing,if no icing is need then add another couple of tbs of sugar.

Enjoy.................

Bake-a-thon 2015 

An InLinkz Link-up

Sumber http://www.naliniscooking.com

Chocolate Drizzled Shortbread Cookies

Today's recipe for Bake-A-Thon is a simple yet crunchy short bread cookies drizzled with chocolate.I tried this recipe for April Mega Marathon,but due bad weather the pictures were dull,couldn't share it.
Here I drizzled the cookies with semi chocolate and sprinkled it with colorful sprinkles.In original recipe half of the cookie is dipped in the melted chocolate also the dough is rolled and cut with a cookie cutter.Since I don't have a nice cookie cutter I made the dough to a log and slice it with knife.As my kiddo wanted the chocolate to be drizzled and topped with some colorful sprinkles.Lets move on to the recipe....

                                                                        

                                                                 Chocolate Drizzled Shortbread Cookies

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   Basic Information

   Preparation time 15-20 minutes

   Cooking time 12-16 minutes

   Resting time 1 hour
   Recipe Source  Foodnetwork

   Makes 16-17 cookies

    

   Ingredients

  

Ingredient	Quantity
All purpose flour/maida	1 cup
Butter/vennai	1/2 cup+1 tbs
Sugar/sakkarai	1/2 cup
Baking powder	1/8 tsp
Salt	a generous pinch
Vanilla	1 tsp
Semi sweetened chocolate	1/2 cup
Colorful sprinkles	as needed

  

    Method 

• Mix in all purpose flour,salt and baking powder,keep it aside.Beat together butter and sugar till it becomes creamy.Add in the vanilla and mix it well.Add in the flour to the mixture.

•  Now gently mix it well with the spatula to a dough.Shape it to a rectangular or round shaped log and wrap it in a cling wrap.Refrigerate the dough for an hour.

• After an hour take the dough and slice it and arrange it on a lined baking tray.Preheat the oven at 350 F and bake it for 12-14 minutes.

• Meanwhile melt the chocolate in the double broiler and fill in a piping bag.Once the cookies are done transfer it to a cooling rack.After it cools down completely drizzle the melted chocolate and top it with the sprinkles.Let it dry.

• Store it in an airtight container.

                                                                 

                                                                                

• Drizzle the melted chocolate once the cookies are cool down completely.
• The amount of sugar given is for a perfect sweet,if not drizzling with melted chocolate add another 2 tbs of sugar.

Enjoy...............................................

Bake-a-thon 2015 

An InLinkz Link-up

Sumber http://www.naliniscooking.com

Cinnamon Bun/Cinnamon Roll

Today I am sharing a flavorful cinnamon bun for Bake-A-Thon.I have already shared cinnamon bear claw.A friend and reader of my blog requested for for the bun/roll,so decided to bake and share.Also my kiddo was craving for cinnamon flavor and suggested to make cinnamon bun.
Coming to the recipe,its almost similar to the cinnamon bear claw,except the shaping.Here I used both all purpose flour and bread flour.The buns were so soft with the flavor of cinnamon and the caramelized sugar.My 3 years lil one enjoy 2 buns as soon as I finished the glaze.Off to the recipe........................

                                                                      

                                                                               Cinnamon Bun/Cinnamon Roll

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   Basic Information

   Preparation time 30 minutes
   Proofing time 1 1/2 -2 hours

   Cooking time 30-40 minutes

   Makes 12-13 (medium size buns)

    

   Ingredients

  

Ingredient	Quantity
All purpose flour	1 cups+2 tbs for dusting
Bread flour	3/4 cup
Instant yeast	11/2 tsp
Unsalted butter	3 tbs
Sugar	1 tbs
Lukewarm milk	1/2 cup+2 tbs
Salt	1/2 tsp
Milk /butter	for brushing

   For the filling

Ingredient	Quantity
Light brown sugar	1/2 cup
Unsalted butter	2-3 tbs
Cinnamon powder	1 tbs

  For the glaze

Ingredient	Quantity
Powdered sugar/ confectionery sugar	1/2 cup
Butter	2 tbs
Vanilla extract	1/4 tsp
Milk	1 tsp

    Method 

• Take all purpose flour,butter,instant yeast,salt and sugar in a bowl,mix it well.To this add the lukewarm milk and mix it to a soft dough.Knead the dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes till it becomes smooth and elastic.Shape the dough and keep it in a warm place for 11/2 hours or the volume of the dough doubled.

• Knead the dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes till it becomes smooth and elastic.Shape the dough and keep it in a warm place for 11/2 hours or the volume of the dough doubled.
• Meanwhile mix the sugars and cinnamon powder in a bowl and line the baking tray with parchment paper.Keep it aside.
• After the dough has risen well,pinch it down and roll it.Smooth the dough and roll it to a 12 x 15 inch sheet.

• Brush it with the butter and sprinkle  the sugar-cinnamon mixture.Now carefully roll from the one end and roll it to a log and pinch the ends and seal it.Slice the roll into 11/2 inch thickness.Arrange it on a lined baking tray and cover with a foil,keep it in a warm place for second rise for 30 minutes.

• Meanwhile mix the butter,icing sugar,vanilla and milk in a bowl.After the second raise brush it with the rest of the butter and pre heat the oven at 350 F.Bake the rolls for 30-40 minutes or until golden.Remove it and cool it on a cooling rack.After its completely cool down,mix the powdered sugar,vanilla and milk in a bowl.Drizzle it on the top the rolls using a spoon or a piping bag.

•  Serve it warm.

• The dough should be slightly stick,don't add too much of flour while kneading.
• The rolls taste better when it is served warm,just microwave it for 5 seconds and serve. .
• The sweetness was just perfect if you want it a bit sweeter version then add another tbs of sugar.
• The amount of cinnamon powder can be increased according to personal preference.I reduced the amount from the original recipe.
• The buns can be made with all purpose flour only.
• I used my 9 X 9 square pan and it was just perfect to bake the 12 rolls.

Enjoy...............................................

Bake-a-thon 2015 

An InLinkz Link-up

Sumber http://www.naliniscooking.com

Ghee Cake

Ghee cake is a popular cake available in Cochin Bakeries in Kerela.As the name indicates,its made with ghee instead of butter.The cake is very flavorful with ghee and extremely soft with a very nice texture.
Originally its a pound cake can be made in a loaf pan but I made it in 2 small bundt pans and one ramekin.The recipe is given makes a 8 inch loaf.
I bookmarked the recipe from Uma's blog long time but never got a chance to attempt as we always prefer eggless bakes.
After so long time I tried a bake with egg and the cake came out so soft and my kiddo enjoyed it to the core.Lets move on to the recipe........................................................

                                                                        

                                                                                                                           Ghee Cake

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   Basic Information

   Preparation time 20 minutes

   Cooking time 30-40 minutes

   Makes 8' round cake

    

  Ingredients

  

Ingredient	Quantity
All purpose flour	1 cup
Ghee/nei	1/2 cup +1 tbs
Powdered sugar	1/2 cup +1 tbs
Baking powder	1/2 tsp
Baking soda	1/8 tsp
Egg	2
Salt	a pinch
Vanilla	1 tsp
Granulated sugar	1 tbs
Milk	1/2 cup+1 tbs

    Method 

• Take all purpose flour,baking soda,powder and salt and mix it well.Sieve it for couple of times.Grease the baking pan with baking spray or oil and dust some flour.Separate the yolks and white,keep it in a separate bowl.Preheat the oven in 350 F

•  Now in a bowl take the ghee and powdered sugar,whisk in an electric hand blender or whisker until it becomes creamy and smooth.Once the mixture becomes creamy add one egg yolk at a time and blend it well.Add another yolk once it gets blend well.

• Now to this mixture add in the sieved flour and milk alternatively,mix it well.Start with the flour and end with flour while doing it alternatively.

• Now take the egg whites in a bowl and beat it well till frothy.To this add the vanilla and granulated sugar.Mix it well,now add it to the cake batter and slowly incorporate well.If you are using electric beater,beat it in a slow speed.

• Pour the batter to the prepared cake pan and bake it for 30-40 minutes in a preheated oven or until a tooth pick comes out clean.Transfer it to a wire rack cool it after few minutes.

• Slice it and store in an air tight container.

• The milk should be in the room temperature.
• Sieve the flour for couple of times,its necessary to get a nice texture.
• In the original recipe,the sugar is powdered and used but I used as such,but powder is recommended .
• Baking time varies from oven to oven,mine was done in 40 minutes.
• The sugar given is for a perfect sweetness,it can be increased if you want slightly sweeter cake.

Enjoy..................................................

Bake-a-thon 2015 

An InLinkz Link-up

Sumber http://www.naliniscooking.com

Parker House Roll/Parker House Dinner Roll

Parker house rolls are invented in 1870's in Parker House Hotel,Boston.These rolls are soft,buttery with a slight sweet taste.The shape of the roll is quite interesting and made by folding the circle or oval shaped,flattened dough in half.
I have seen these rolls in television cookery shows but never attempted to try.When I wanted to make a roll for Bake-A-Thon,the first thing came in my mind was this one.Since it was my first trial I made it in a very small quantity.The rolls are so soft and vanished as soon as I clicked.Off to the recipe.........

                                                                      

                                                                                  Parker House Roll

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   Basic Information

   Recipe Source  Taste of home

   Preparation time 30 minutes
   Proofing time 1 1/2 -2 hours

   Cooking time 20-25 minutes

   Makes 6-7 rolls

    

   Ingredients

  

Ingredient	Quantity
All purpose flour	1-1/2 cups+2 tbs for dusting
Instant yeast	1 -1/4 tsp
Neutral oil or olive oil	3 tbs
Sugar	2 tbs
Luke warm Milk	1/2 cup+2 tbs
Salt	1/2 tsp
Melted butter	3 tbs

   

    Method 

• Take all purpose flour,instant yeast,salt,sugar and oil in a bowl.mix it well.To this add the milk,knead it to a soft dough.

•  Knead the dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes till it becomes smooth and elastic.Shape the dough and keep it in a warm place for 11/2 hours or the volume of the dough doubled.After the raise,punch down the dough and roll the dough to  a smooth ball.Now on a floured surface,roll the the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.Cut with a round shape cookie cutter.

• Brush the cut dough with butter,with a help of dull edge knife crease the center slightly and fold at the crease.Gently press the edge and arrange it on a lined baking tray.Cover it with a cloth and keep it in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled.After the second raise brush it with butter.
• Preheat oven to 375F and bake it for 20 minutes or until golden brown.Cool it on a wire rack.

• Serve it with butter or jelly

• I used a smaller baking tray to keep the rolled dough but after the second raise there were no space,so I changed it to large baking tray
• The rolls taste better when it is served warm,just microwave it for 5 seconds and serve. .
• The sweetness was just perfect if you want it a bit sweeter version then add you can increase the amount of sugar while kneading the dough.

Enjoy...................................

Bake-a-thon 2015 

An InLinkz Link-up

Sumber http://www.naliniscooking.com