Melting Moments

Here's another melt-in-your-mouth cookie recipe that I got from joyofbaking.com. You won't regret making and eating this really yummy treat. It's so easy to make, actually.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch (corn flour)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup Confectioners' sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Topping:

Confectioners' sugar, sifted

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least one hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350degF (177degC) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

When dough is firm, form into 1-inch (2.54cm) balls and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake for about 12-14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies start to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, line another baking pan or tray with parchment or wax paper. Sprinkle about half of the confectioners' sugar onto the bottom of the pan and then place the slightly cooled cookies on top of the sugar. Put the remaining sugar in a fine strainer or sieve and then sprinkle the tops of the cookies (or you can just roll the cookies in the sugar.

These cookies store very well. Place in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper and they will keep a couple of weeks.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Apple Coffee Cake

I will create a label for recipes I wanna try, and this would be the first on my list. I saw this recipe from simplyrecipes.com.

I tried another Apple Coffee Cake recipe from momswhothink.com before. It was a very good recipe, but unfortunately I lost my copy. I went back to momswhothink to copy the recipe coz I was planning to bake that again. I was looking for it for almost an hour and I simply can't find it. It's very disappointing because that was a really tasty recipe. So I decided to find another same recipe, and found this instead. I just hope this will be as delicious as the first one that I've tried. Hopefully, I'll get to try this by April. : ) I can't wait!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup whole milk
1 medium Cortland or other baking apple, peeled and sliced

1. Set the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish with or pie pan a 4-cup capacity.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a bowl, combine 1/3 a cup of the sugar with the cinnamon, set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Beat in the egg until blended. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk, beating until just combined.
5. Spread half the batter in the baking dish. Lay the apple slices on the batter so they just cover the batter (you may have to overlap some slices). Sprinkle the apples with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Spread the rest of the batter over the apples. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar on top.
6. Bake the cake for 25 minutes or until it is golden brown and apples start to bubble at the edges.

Serves 6

Chocolate Crinkles

Chocolate Crinkles is the ultimate chocolate cookie recipe for me. Oozing with gooey-ness and yumminess. The ideal chocolate crinkle is a little chunky on the outside, but very soft inside that it would practically melt in your mouth. Heavenly!!

I got this recipe from a Maya recipe book and after one try, I've been using and sharing this recipe like forever. No other recipe beats this.

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups cocoa powder

2 tsps vanilla

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350degF. Prepare baking sheets.

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients until well-blended. Form the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in Confectioners' sugar then put them on the baking sheets. Bake until cookie cracks on top. Center should still be soft.

Makes 3 dozens.

Cookie recipes I ♥ from my undergraduate days

Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe - pic by my bff Rhoda Avanzado-Phillips

Here are two proven and tested cookie recipes that was taught by my ND teacher. This is my ultimate favorite recipe of oatmeal cookies. The chocolate chip cookies are also delicious. I usually bake this for Christmas to give to family and close friends.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

(Mrs. Field's Recipe)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup salted butter, softened

2 large eggs

2 tsps vanila extract

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 300degF.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk.
• In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, blend sugars at a medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and mix at a medium speed until just blended. Do not overmix.
• Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips, and blend at low speed until just mixed. Do not overmix.
• Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips, and blend at low speed until just mixed. Do not overmix.
• Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer cookies immediately to a cool surface with a spatula.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozens.

OATMEAL COOKIES

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup refined sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup oats

1/2 cup chopped cashew nuts

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces

• Sift flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Cream butter with sugar. Add the egg then mix thoroughly until well-blended.
• Add the flour mixture then the oats, nuts and chocolate pieces.
• Drop into oiled cookie sheet by teaspoon. Bake at 375degF for 20 minutes.

Angel Cake

My mom taught me this recipe way back when I was still in high school. It's been my personal favorite because with Angel Cake, you can never go wrong. It still tastes yummy by itself. Very light and fluffy. You don't have to put frosting or icing on it to make it more tasty. Actually, when I think about it, I can't really identify any frosting that would go well with it. I guess it's better off without any.

This cake only uses the egg whites of the egg. And since I don't want to waste the eggyolks (it uses around 8-10 eggs depending on the size), then I make the eggyolks into Leche Flan (Custard) which also uses around that much egg yolks. So it's still a win-win for me. : )

1 1/4 cups cake flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups egg whites

1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 1/4 cups sugar

Combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar and sift together three times. Beat egg whites, flavoring and salt until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat until egg white form stiff peaks, but not dry. Add sugar 2 tablespoons at a time until sugar is well-blended. After last addition, beat until meringue is firm and holds stiff, straight peaks.

Place flour and sugar mixture in a sifter and sift about 4 tablespoons at a time over the entire surface of the meringue. Fold gently until blended. Push batter into an ungreased angel cake pan, careful not to stir it. Cut through the batter with a knife to break air bubbles.

Bake for 30-40 minutes in medium heat.

Mrs. Delfin's Best-selling Tarts

Still another recipe that I learned during my undergraduate days. This was shared by Mrs. Pinky Delfin who I consider as my mentor in baking. I didn't realize how flavorful raisins and walnuts are when mixed until I tried this.

Pastry:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Mix all the ingredients together. Divide into 24 small balls. Press individually into small muffin cups.

Filling:

3 tbsps. butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

Stir in:

1 egg, beaten

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped seedless raisins

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Put 1 scant tablespoon into each cup. Bake for 20 minutes.

Chocolate Cupcakes

This is another recipe that I've tried from Yummy Mag. It has always been a favorite among my friends and co-workers when I bring this to office activities and other gatherings.

The recipe said that Prep Time is only 15 minutes. After trying this out for a couple of times, it usually takes about 25-35 mins of prep time for me. Cook time is approximately 20 mins. And it makes around 24-30 cupcakes.

The original recipe is actually called Belgian Chocolate Cupcakes since it uses Belgian Chocolate. Since I can't find Belgian Chocolate anywhere in Dumaguete, I have to settle for normal bittersweet chocolate. But it's still yummy anyways, so I don't mind.

1/2 cup butter, melted

100 grams bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk

• In a small pan, melt butter. Stir in chopped chocolate and whisk until blended. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
• In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
• Add eggs slowly and beat until creamy. Stir in cocoa powder and vanilla.
• Add melted chocolate.
• Combine dry ingredients and stir into creamed mixture alternatively with milk.
• Beat until smooth (about 1 minute) then scoop into paper-lined muffin pans.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Cool before frosting.

For the chocolate ganache:

2 cups cream

400 grams bittersweet chocolate, chopped

• Put cream in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in chopped chocolate.
• Whisk until smooth.
• Cool until thick and use to frost cupcakes.

Butterscotch Bars

2 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 tbsp. corn syrup
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped cashew nuts

Prepare oven to 350 deg. F. Grease a 13x9x1-inch rectangular pan. Set aside.

Beat eggs until foamy. Add in sugar, vanilla, margarine, and corn syrup. Beat until creamy. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the egg mixture. Blend well. Stir in nuts. Spread batter on prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is light brown. Cut into bars while hot.

Makes 24-30 pcs.

Food For the Gods

1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup coarsely chopped pitted dates
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 cup walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
2. Grease and line a 13x9x2-inch rectangular pan.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
4. Take 1/2 cup of this mixture and dredge date. Set aside.
5. Cream butter until soft and fluffy. Add granulated and brown sugar and blend well. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour mixture and dates into the creamed mixture. Add walnuts; stir to completely blend batter.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 300 deg. F and continue baking for 30 to 40 minutes longer.
7. Cool slightly then cut into bars. Individually wrap with a cellophane or colored foil.

Cookie Monster

Picture by my bff Rhoda Avanzado

This is a moist and creamy chocolate cake with natilla filling and bittersweet frosting - a very popular chocolate cake recipe here in Dumaguete City that most cake shops sell. Some would add boiled icing to pipe around the edges or to decorate it.

I'm only posting the ingredients because this is just a one-bowl method type of recipe.

Cake
Sift together:
3 cups cake flour
2 1/2 - 3 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
1 1/4 tbsps. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 cups milk (or 1/2 cup evaporated milk and 1 1/2 cups water)
1/4 cup butter
1 cup cooking oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs

Chocolate Frosting:
7 tbsps. cocoa
4 1/4 tbsps flour
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. coffee
1/4 cup butter (optional)

Natilla Filling:
1 can condensed milk
1 cup eggyolks
Dissolve:
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup water

Boiled Icing:
6 pcs. eggwhites
1 1/2 cups refined sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tbsps. glucose
6 tbsps. water

Ma'am Pinky's Fruit Cake

My ND teacher taught us this simple and delicious Fruit Cake recipe. I'm not really a fruit cake fan, but this recipe changed my mind. I only eat fruit cake if I bake it using this recipe. The taste of brandy is not too strong and you can taste more of the cake and less of the brandy, which is actually perfect for me.

Soak in 1/4 cup brandy (Emperador) overnight:
1 cup glazed fruit mix
1 cup raisins

Cake:
1 cup walnuts
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (Anchor)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 tbsps. molasses
8 eggyolks
2 whole eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Sift three (3) times:
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsps. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup red cherries
1 tsp.orange extract

Glazing for Fruit Cake:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tsps. brandy

1. Beat or cream butter and brown sugar for 10 minutes.
2. Add molasses and extracts. Blend well.
3. Add egg yolks and whole eggs one at a time.
4. Mix the dry ingredients into the fruit mixture and be sure all fruits and nuts are coated with the flour.
5. Pour the batter into the fruit mixture and mix well with hands.
6. Bake on pans lined with brown paper on medium heat at 250 deg. F.
7. Baking time is 1 to 6 hours, depending on size of baking tins.

Glazing for Fruit Cake:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tsps. brandy

1. Boil sugar and water until 200 deg. F then remove from fire.
2. Add the brandy.
3. Brush on cake.

Note: Wash the raisins with boiling water then rinse with tap water, 3-4 times. Drain before measuring. Soak all the fruits with brandy except the nuts for at least 24 hours.

Favorite Carrot Cake

2 cups white sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsps. baking soda
1 1/2 tsps. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 eggs
1 cup dessicated coconut
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup walnuts
1 cup buttermilk

• Sift three times all dry ingredients.
• One-bowl method.
• 350 deg. F for 1 hour.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2-4 cups confectioners' sugar

Moist Brownies (Mrs. Delfin's Recipe)

2 cups butter
2 cups cocoa + 3 tbsps
1 tbsp oil
4 cups sugar
2 tsps vanilla
6 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
nuts

1. Melt 1 butter with cocoa and oil over low heat.
2. Beat 1 cup butter then add sugar and vanilla.
3. Cream well. Add eggs.
4. Add cooled cocoa.
5. Beat well then add flour, salt and nuts.
6. Bake for 45 minutes.

Black Forest

I've tried this recipe a couple of times and it can do without the Chocolate Filling. However, the walnuts in the filling do add some crunch into it. So it really depends - if you love nuts then put in the Chocolate Filling.

Cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 tsps. baking soda
3/4 cup margarine/butter
4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsps. vanilla
4 eggs

Syrup:
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3 tbsps. Kirsch or brandy

Chocolate Filling:
2 100-gm bars milk chocolate
3/4 cup butter
3 tbsps. confectioners' sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream Filling:
2 250-gm packs whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
Maraschino cherries

1 100-gm bar milk chocolate for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
2. Grease and line four 9-inch round layer pans. Set aside.
3. Combine the first 8 ingredients in a mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time beating continually until completely blended.
5. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Cool slightly then remove from pans; transfer onto wire racks and cool thoroughly.
7. In a small saucepan, prepare syrup by blending sugar and water together. Bring to a boil. Lower flame and simmer for 1 minute.
8. Remove from fire and stir in Kirsch or brandy. Set aside.
9. Prepare Chocolate Filling: Melt two bars chocolate over double boiler. Cool. Cream butter; beat in melted chocolate; add confectioners' sugar; continue beating until smooth. Stir in nuts.
10. Beat whipping cream until thick. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and continue beating until smooth and fluffy. Set aside.
11. To Assemble: Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Brush top of cake with syrup. Spread half of the chocolate filling. Sprinkle some nuts. Top with another layer of cake, again brush top with syrup.
12. Spread half of the cream filling. Sprinkle with more nuts and some cherry slices. Repeat procedure for the last two cake layers. Cover the top and sides of the cake and the remaining cream.
13. Decorate with chocolate curls and cherries. Chill until ready to serve.

Custard Cake With Macapuno

A proven and tested recipe.

Caramel:
1 cup sugar
1 cup sweetened macapuno

Custard:
1 big can evaporated milk
8 eggyolks
1 can condensed milk

Cake:
3 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
6 eggyolks
3/4 cup water
1 1/4 cups eggwhites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar

1. Caramelize sugar in two 9x9-inch baking pans.
2. Arrange sweetened macapuno in the pans. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 325 deg F.
4. Combine the ingredients for custard in a mixing bowl and stir.
5. Divide mixture into two and pour into the prepared pans by passing through a strainer. Set aside.
6. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add oil, eggyolks and water. Stir with a wire whip until smooth. Set aside.
7. Beat eggwhites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually and beat until stiff. Fold in eggyolk mixture into the beaten eggwhites.
8. Divide batter into two and pour over custard mixture in the two pans; do not stir.
9. Place each pan in a bigger pan 1/4 filled with water (baine marie).
10. Bake for about 1 hour or until done. Slightly cool.
11. Run a knife continuously along inner sides of pan and invert pan onto serving platter.

Serves 16-20 per cake

Mango Cream Cake

I misplaced the instructions for this recipe. What I found was just the ingredients. When I make this, I figure out how to prepare it which is fine because the cake is prepared like Chiffon Cake, and the rest are easy to figure out. Anyway, it can be determined just by looking at the ingredients.

Cake:
6 eggs, separated
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar

Mango Filling:
3-4 pcs. ripe mango, sliced crosswise into 1/4" strips
1/4 cup mango jam
2 tbsps. light syrup

Mango Frosting:
1 tbsp. unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup water
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup mango ice cream

Topping:
1 tbsp. kalamansi or lemon juice
3 ripe mangoes, sliced crosswise into 1/4" strips
1/4 cup shredded white gulaman
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup mango juice
1 1/4 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in
1 tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Langkasoy Tarts

I got this recipe from my undergrad (nutrition and dietetic) days. It's a really delicious recipe with its not-too-sweet filling and flaky crust. But you just have to be careful not to over-knead the dough or else the crust will be rubbery. Ideally, it should be flaky.

Filling:
1/2 cup + 2 tbsps. brown sugar
3 tbsps. water
1/3 cup chopped langka
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup + 2 tbsps. condensed milk
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour dissolved in
2 tbsps. water
3 eggyolks
1/3 cup chopped cashew nuts

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk

Boil water, sugar, water, langka and butter. Add milk. Boil until thick. Add dissolved flour, eggyolks and cashew nuts. Cook until of spreading consistency. Cool.

In a bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt. Cut shortening and butter until mealy. Add enough milk to bind the dough. If dough is dry, add some water.

Divide dough into balls then pass to fit sides and bottom of the tart molds. pre-bake at 375 deg F for 5-10 minutes. Put 2 teaspoons of filling on every crust. Return to oven and bake until set.

Cool then wrap in cellophane.