C is for Cookies

Those are brownies cups, french butter cookies, biscotti with chocolate coating and plain sugar cookies with icing and M&Ms on top. Don't know why up to this point, I still don't care much about putting icing on cookies but it does do wonder! Well, to say the least, the icing makes the cookies look more "Christmas-y". But it's not recommended for those who don't have sweet tooth. Me? I'm more the salty tooth type.

Pandan cake!

Don't know why lately I've been craving for some pandan cake at least once a week!!!! In the beginning, it was plain pandan cake, but after awhile, I started to add coconut flakes in the batter. I could eat the whole pan myself in 2 days! Hahaha, but the aftermath is not so pretty..... I would get bad bad bad sore throat. Samu loves the one without coconut flakes because he said coconut flakes make his throat "itchy". :)

I love love love the crusty layer of the cake, more than the cake itself. I wish I could bake as often as last time, but the thing is my kitchen is really tiny! Whenever I turn around, my elbows are for sure, going to bump into either a bowl, or a corner, or the fridge.. And also, there's only 1 counterspace! It was already clattered with rice cooker and slow cooker.

Martabak manis

Haven't posted anything lately because I've been busy with moving out and my mom is in town (YAY!) and plus, haven't been making anything new anyway. But today thanks to Jess, I was inspired to make martabak manis again (the first time around, I failed, it was too runny and turned out more like a pancake). This time I succeed!!! Except... I forgot that I didn't have any chocolate sprinkles, instead I used chocolate chips. It was so good but I still need to use chocolate sprinkles next time. And note to self, don't put too much condensed milk! :))))

Bittersweet chocolate tart

I don't have a tart pan, so I used springform pan. The crust is easy to make, only from shortbread dough. And the chocolate part is easier, 1 cup heavy cream + 8oz chocolate chips, melted together, then whisk in 1 large egg.

The top is supposed to be smooth, but clumsy me, without thinking twice, trying to cover it with saran wrap while it was still warm. Saran wrap stuck to the chocolate, hence the "not-so-smooth" top. I wanna cry.... :( I was tempted to airbrush it but what's the point? Hahahaha. But lemme tell you this, it tastes great! The silky, "melt-in-your-mouth" chocolate filling combines with the sweet crunchy shortbread crust, it's to die for! The recipe said that best served room temperature but I disagree. I like it better after it stays in the fridge overnight.

4-egg-cake with peanut butter frosting and chocolate ganache

I haven't been active in posting new posts because I've been making the same things over and over. And mostly, the pictures are not post-worthy (you know, cellphone camera..)

This is just a 3 layers 4-egg-cake with peanut butter frosting and chocolate ganache. I was planning to level the cake, but my cake leveler wasn't being cooperative and I was too lazy to cut it with knife. :)) (Reminder to self: once everything is settled, need to get myself a better knife)

Snickerdoodles

These cookies are rolled into a mixture of sugar and cinnamon powder before baked. I didn't like cinnamon until I tasted this cookies. And the top is supposed to be crackly.

You'll need to whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Beat in a large bowl 2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened and 1 1/2 cups sugar.

Add 2 large eggs and beat until well combined.

Stir in the flour mixture.

Combine in a separate bowl/plate, 1/4 cups sugar and 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon.

Shape the dough into the size of a pingpong ball, roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Arrange on lined cookie sheet (about 2 1/2 inches apart) and bake for 12 minutes, until the cookies are light golden brown at the edges. Let stand briefly and cool on wire rack.

Chocolate chips blondies

Blondies is closely related to brownies. It has the texture and consistency of brownies, yet there's no cocoa powder involved. The only thing I hate about blondies/brownies/bars is it's so hard to take it out of the pan! I was being really careful because I don't want to them to look messed up. :)))

You'll need
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325F. Butter a 9-inch square pan.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.

In a different larger bowl, put melted butter and brown sugar, and stir with mixing spoon until incorporated. Mixture will be really thick. Add the eggs and vanilla, stir and mix again until everything is combined.

Add flour mixture until there's no loose flour. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scrape batter into prepared pan evenly.

Bake for 35 minutes or so, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out dry. Cool blondies in the pan on wire rack.

Cut into 8 slices and carefully remove them from the pan. I can't suggest anyway to make this part better, so if you guys find a better way to take the bars out of the pan, please do tell. :)