Easter biscuits

Yum...these were delicious! Again, thanks to The Telegraph, UK I found another delicious recipe and just in time for easter.

                                                        Easter biscuits Photo: LAURA HYND
Ingredients

70g plain flour

250gms unsalted butter, diced

125gms golden caster sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

biscuit cutters 

Method

Sift the flour and half a teaspoon of salt into a bowl and set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl, using a wooden spoon or a mixer, until well combined and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix well, then work in the flour. Once the mixture comes together as a dough, dust your hands with flour and wrap it in cling film. Chill for an hour (or up to a few days if more convenient) or freeze for up to a month. This dough can otherwise be tricky to work, especially in hot weather or a warm kitchen.

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Roll out the dough using plenty of flour (it is quite sticky) to 3-4mm thick. Cut out the biscuits with your chosen cutters and lay them on two baking sheets lined with parchment. Make holes towards the top of each with a skewer for threading through the ribbon. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until pale gold. Cool on a wire rack, re-forming the ribbon holes with the skewer.

To decorate

700g white sugarpaste

colour paste in the colours you would like to use.

250g packet royal icing

silver balls

6m coloured ribbon for hanging

Divide the sugarpaste into three and place in separate polythene bags. Use the colours on two pieces and leave one white

On a clean work surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out the  sugarpaste to about 2mm thick. Cut out with the cutters matching the shapes

Make the royal icing according to the packet instructions, divide into colours  and put into piping bags.

Pipe a little royal icing on to the biscuit and use to stick on the sugarpaste shape. Make a hole in the sugarpaste in the same place as that on the biscuit for the ribbon. Add silver balls for decoration.

Allow the sugarpaste and icing to set overnight. Cut the ribbon into 25cm lengths and thread through each biscuit.

Swiss Cookies - Basler Brunsli

Basler Brunsli - Swiss cookies from Basle - A Swiss town which I  visited a couple of times when I lived in Switzerland. I love these type of cookies - they are so unpretentious and always delicious.I have used Amaretto di Saronno which is not the traditional way to make these cookies but I like the taste it gives.

Recipe adapted from, Küchengötter.de

50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
150 g dark chocolate
300 g ground almonds

200 g sugar

a pinch of salt

50 g flour

4 egg whites 

a generous shot Amaretto Di Saronno (about 3 tbsp)

Method

Chop the chocolate and melt over a bain marie, stirring all the time. Make sure no water gets into the chocolate. Some people manage to melt the chocolate in a microwave but I always end up with a burnt mess! This will be used as the main mixing bowl so make sure it is large enough.

In another bowl, mix the almonds, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and flourIn yet another bowl.....Beat the egg whites until stiff and add to flour mixture.Separate into two balls, cover with cling film and put in the fridge for about 1/2 hrs.
Preheat oven to 220C/430F.
Roll out dough on a floured board to about 1/4" thick and cut into  shapes. Place on a parchment paper lined baking tray.
Some traditional recipes suggest letting them dry on the tray for a couple of hours before baking them.
Bake for about 6 mins, in the middle of the oven. Cookies should be crisp on the outside with a soft center. If you prefer crisp cookies then just bake a bit longer.
Cool and store in an airtight jar

Kourabiedes - Greek cookies that taste of heaven!

I made these last Easter so this is a good time to try them out again. They are really delicious! The finished result does not look like much but they literally melt in your mouth!

Yield: 30 Pieces

Ingredients:
2 cups unsalted butter
1 cup icing/powdered sugar
3 Egg yolks
3 tbls Brandy
2 tsps Vanilla extract
6 cups Flour
1/2 cup Almonds (blanched), chopped
1 lb Icing/powdered sugar

Method
Beat the butter with the sugar until it becomes fluffy.
Add the egg yolks one by one, beating continuously.
Add the brandy and vanilla.
Blend in the almonds and the flour, a cup at a time. Use enough flour to get a firm dough (it may take a bit more or less than the amount mentioned in the ingredients list).
Use your hands to do the mixing, as an electric mixer will be useless after the first two or three cups of flour have been added.
Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Shape the dough into balls, about one inch in diameter, flatten them and place on greased cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven.
Roll each cookie (while it is still hot) in the powdered sugar and put it back on the cookie sheet.
Repeat this step once more, so that you get a thicker coating.
Place the coated cookies on a platter, liberally sprinkling each layer and the bottom of the platter with powdered sugar.
When you are done, there shouldn't be any sugar left.
Let them cool and they are ready to eat!

Almond Cantucci

Valentine's day is approaching..so what could be better than a home made gift? I found this recipe from the Times online which always has the greatest recipes!
This was by Lindsey Bareham and makes elegant, wafer-thin biscotti for serving with creamy desserts or dipping into vino santo, coffee or hot chocolate.
Layer them between white baking parchment in little cardboard boxes, or bundle in cellophane with a pretty ribbon and label.

Ingredients
3 large egg whites
100g caster sugar
100g plain flour
100g  almonds
Knob of butter
You will also need baking parchment and a small loaf tin

Method
Heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff.
Gradually add the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time.
Fold the sifted flour into the meringue in three batches to make a thick, mousse-like mixture.
Fold in the nuts, mixing thoroughly.
Lightly butter a 750ml-capacity bread tin and line with baking parchment.
Spoon the mixture into the tin, smooth the top and bake for 40 minutes until pale golden, firm and hardly risen.
Use the parchment to lift the loaf out of the tin, peel off the paper and rest on a wire wrack.
Leave to cool, allowing at least an hour.
Heat the oven to 125C/gas mark 1.
Using a very sharp, thin-bladed knife, slice the loaf very thinly, and lay the slices out on baking sheets.
Bake for 10-15 minutes a side or till dry and a pale golden colour.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool and crisp.
Properly dried, they will store in an airtight box layered with baking parchment paper for months

Quick and Easy Biscuits (Cookies)

I like having home-made  biscuits (cookies) at home and an easy way to ensure a constant supply is to make extra dough and freeze, then slice off what you need. The dough keeps well in the freezer for about a month - or around a week in the fridge.

Ingredients
4oz butter

4oz  sugar

Grated zest of one lemon or orange

(other options may include adding spices like cinnamon, ginger or nutmeg. This is a basic recipe so you can tweak it a bit! If you want chocolate flovoured biscuits, add  1 tbsp cocoa powder to the flour)
9oz  flour
1 egg
pinch of salt

Method
Beat the butter, sugar and zest together until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and salt.
Add the flour and using your hands work in  gently.
Shape the dough into a roll about 2" thick and wrap well in plastic wrap.
Put in the fridge for about an hour or if you are freezing, just put in the freezer

To bake, heat the oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper.
Cut the dough, straight from the fridge or freezer into ¼in slices and arrange, well spaced, on the baking sheet.

Bake for about 12 mins (the exact time will depend on the thickness of the biscuits) until very lightly coloured.
Put the biscuits onto a rack to cool .
These biscuits will be nice and crisp

Mostaccioli

Mostaccioli are characteristic of a Neapolitan Christmas. They are spicy cookies with a chocolate fondant icing, generally made in diamond shapes. You could make them flat or in balls if you wish. Some recipes also add liquor and candied peel but i have kept these relatively simple.

Thanks to Gianluca for this recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 /4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

Zest of one orange

Chocolate Glaze:

3 tbs unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Water

Silver ball decorations

Method.

Prepare Cookies:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

In another bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar with butter until blended.

Increase speed to high; beat until light and creamy.

At low speed, beat in egg and zest.

Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, just until combined, occasionally scraping bowl.

Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough and cut into diamond shapes using a pizza cutter.

Place shapes 2 inches apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet.

Bake cookies 7 to 9 minutes (they will look dry and slightly cracked).

Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Glaze:

When cookies cool, in medium bowl, with wire whisk or fork, gradually mix cocoa with 1/4 cup boiling water until smooth.

Gradually stir in confectioners' sugar and blend well.

Dip top of each cookie into glaze. Place cookies on wire rack set over waxed paper to catch any drips.

Decorate with silver balls

Allow glaze to set, about 20 minutes. Store cookies, with waxed paper between layers, in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days, or in freezer up to 3 months.

Almond Biscotti

These classic twice baked cookies can be made in a variety of ways - you can use pecans or walnuts instead of the almonds, you can add dried apricots, cherries or blueberries....anything is possible! The whole-wheat flour in this case gives them an extra crunch.

They can also be drizzled with chocolate for extra sweetness.

This recipe is a lower fat alternative - there are only 79 calories per 3 cookies! part of my lose weight but eat well project!

Ingredients.

3/4 cup wholewheat flour

3/4 cup plain flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs (beaten)

1/4 cup low fat milk (or soy milk)

2 1/2 tbs canola oil

2 tbs honey

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds.

Method.

Pre heat oven to 350F

Combine The flours, sugar and baking powder.

Add the eggs, milk, canola oil, honey and almond extract and mix well

Add the almonds.

Mix until the dough is well blended

(I use my hands here-easier and more fun!)

Put the dough on a long sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a flat log about 12" long, 3" wide and 1" thick. You will need the plastic cos the dough is rather sticky.
Lift the wrap and transfer the dough to a non stick baking sheet.

Bake for about 20-30 mins until lightly browned.

Remove from the oven, put onto another baking sheet or a cutting board and leave for a few minutes to cool slightly.

Cut crosswise on the diagonal using a serrated knife and cut slices of about 1/2" thick.

Put the slices back on the baking dish, cut side down and bake for another 15-20 mins or until crisp.

When cool, you can dust with powdered sugar (or not!)

They keep well in an airtight container and are delicious with a cup of coffee!

Biskuttini tar-rahal - Village Biscuits

These Maltese biscuits “Biskuttini tar-Raħal”, "Village Biscuits" in English, were traditionally served during special occasions such as the Christening of a baby. They would be decorated on top with swirls of pink icing for a baby girl or pale blue for a boy. I just find them great with a cup of tea and babies seem to love them too - go easy on the anisette in that case!

The icing swirls on top add a sugary kick as the biscuits themselves are not overly sweet. Wish I had a better pic!!

Ingredients:

3 eggs,

8oz of sugar,

8oz of flour,

grated rind of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 orange,

2tsp of crushed aniseed seeds. (I sometimes add a few drops of anisette..)

Method

Preheat the oven to 450f, but turn down the heat to 375F as soon as you put in the biscuits.

Separate the eggs and beat the whites until they are stiff.

Add the sugar a little at a time, whisking well between each addition.

Put in the yolks, mix again, and then stir in the grated peel and crushed seeds.

Fold in the flour.

Shape the dough into ovals, using two spoons, and bake them on a tray scattered with semolina, for 20 minutes or until they are a light golden colour.

Decorate the biscuits with swirls of icing.

No Cook Cake

This no cook dessert is a favourite of mine. The biscuits used are 'Morning coffee' or 'Marie biscuits'. You can also use the LU Cookies or Rich Tea Biscuits that can be bought from Amazon.

I have not seen the Marie or Morning Coffee type in the US except at the PBX on an armed forces base! They have all sorts of European food!

This was really popular when we were young as it was one thing we were allowed to make as it did not involve anything electric or hot! I believe the British were the first to make it - came to that assumption because of the British Biscuits used but if anyone knows the origin...please let me know!

Ingredients:

200g of butter,

200g of caster sugar,

five small eggs, (beaten well)

250g of plain chocolate,

About 2 cups of strong coffee,

Two packets of plain biscuits (see above).

Method

Melt the chocolate ( I use the microwave, checking it and stirring it until it melts. You can also use a double boiler )

Beat the butter with the caster sugar until light and creamy.

Beat in the melted chocolate and then the eggs, one at a time.

Dip the biscuits into the coffee

Use a largish dish that isn't too shallow make layers of coffee-moistened biscuits alternating with layers of the chocolate cream.

Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

If you really want to be decadent, top with some fresh whipped cream!

Grate some chocolate curls on top.

Kipferl - Austrian Cookies

Another great recipe given to me by Nikki. These are rather short biscuits, great with coffee or a glass of wine. Very popular around the Christmas season. The central and northern European countries have great recipes for Christmas cookies...hopefully I will find some more!

Just a word of advice...these cookies are not the prettiest to look at...but they taste excellent! You can also dip one side in chocolate to make chocolate kipferl though i personally prefer the original type.

INGREDIENTS

250gms flour

1 egg plus one yolk, beaten

1 pack vanilla sugar

120gms grated, unpeeled roasted almonds

200gms butter or 100gms vegetable oil

grated peel of 1 lemon

METHOD

Sift flour and sugar.

Add almonds and lemon peel

Add beaten eggs and fats.

Form a dough then roll out strips, cut into about 3" pieces and curve to make 'moon shapes'

Cook at 180C or until brown (about 12 mins) take out of oven a dredge with powdered sugar. Let cool - then dredge with sugar again

Swiss Sugar Cookies

This is a super easy way to make delicious cookies. They can also be iced to look festive. Again, thanks to Nikki for this recipe.

Swiss sugar cookies
Ingredients
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar

Method
Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy.
Gradually add flour.
Add yeast mixture and blend well.
Refrigerate dough until well chilled.
Spread sugar out on a large piece of waxed paper.
Roll walnut-sized balls of dough into the sugar, pressing flat until dough is thin, about the size of a doughnut.
Keep flipping dough and pressing into sugar during this stage.
Place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until very lightly browned around the edges.
Cool on racks.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I think this is a Typical American recipe....i don't remember eating that many when I lived in Europe! Anyway, here is my version....

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

3 cups cooking oats

1 1/2 cups raisins (soak the raisins in rum for about 15 mins then drain well….mmmmmmmm)

Method

Preheat oven to 350°.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt

Whisk the butter and sugar, add the eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy

Stir in the flour mixture into the creamed mixture.

Do not over mix!

Add the oats and raisins, stirring to mix .

Use a tablespoon to drop mixture about 2' apart on a baking sheet previously sprayed with non stick spray

Bake 11-13 minutes (on center rack), until golden, but still moist beneath cracks on top.

Remove from oven; let cookies sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Kourabiedes (Greece)

Kourabiedes - Greek cookies that taste of heaven!
Yield: 30 Pieces

Yield: 30 Pieces


Ingredients:
2 cups unsalted butter
1 cup icing/powdered sugar
3 Egg yolks
3 tbls Brandy
2 tsps Vanilla extract
6 cups Flour
1/2 cup Almonds (blanched), chopped
1 lb Icing/powdered sugar


Method
Beat the butter with the sugar until it becomes fluffy.
Add the egg yolks one by one, beating continuously.
Add the brandy and vanilla.
Blend in the almonds and the flour, a cup at a time. Use enough flour to get a firm dough (it may take a bit more or less than the amount mentioned in the ingredients list).
Use your hands to do the mixing, as an electric mixer will be useless after the first two or three cups of flour have been added.
Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Shape the dough into balls, about one inch in diameter, flatten them and place on greased cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven.
Roll each cookie (while it is still hot) in the powdered sugar and put it back on the cookie sheet.
Repeat this step once more, so that you get a thicker coating.
Place the coated cookies on a platter, liberally sprinkling each layer and the bottom of the platter with powdered sugar.
When you are done, there shouldn't be any sugar left.
Let them cool and they are ready to eat!