Sweet & savory german cookies

When everyone is relaxing having done their 'bah bah sheep' cookies marathon, here I am just starting to burn midnight oil baking my version of CNY cookies. The pre-CNY period is usually quite busy as I tend to my businesses, ie 128 boutique and the organic shop, Just Health. CNY is usually the busiest period for us, but we never complain, cos it's a good sign. Due to time constraint, I am not gonna shape the cookies into sheeps nor any other animals' shape. They are just gonna be the conventional shape. This round, I made some sweet ones, using the same old recipe I've been using for these melt-in-the-mouth German cookies, and I have also made some savory ones, recipe adapted from Joyce's cream cookies cookies. I do like the savory ones cos they are not that sweet, yet its creamy and savory notes make it morish. I felt it would be a great gift to my in-laws as they don't favor sweet stuffs. Best of all, I wouldn't have problem letting my little fella munching on them when we are at the in-law's cos they are made by myself with less butter and less sugar, so they pass the 'toddler' cookies requirement. 

I have made these in different colors. Now that the little fella is at the age where he's recognizing colors, shapes and alphabets, I thought I could use this as an opportunity to reinforce his color recognition. For the pretty fuschia pink color ones (it was intended to be a light pink, I guess I went OD a little on the food coloring) I added about 2 drops of red food coloring onto half of the cookie dough. For the brownish color ones, I added about 2tsp of cocoa powder into the dough. 

Here are the recipes for the savory cream cheese german cookies. adapted from Joyce's 

Ingredients (makes about 70-80 small cookies) 

• 250g salted butter, room temperature (I used 220g unsalted butter and added 2tsp salt to it) 
• 50g icing sugar (I used brown sugar which I have blitzed into powder form) 
• 100g cream cheese, room temperature (I used 120g cream cheese) 
• 250g potato flour/ potato startch 
• 160g all purpose flour (I used Japanese superfine flour) 
• 2tsp black sesame 

For the sweet german cookies, here's the recipe I've always been using, from my old post: 

• 125g unsalted butter, chopped
• 40g icing sugar (I used brown sugar which I have blitzed into powder form) 
• 125g potato flour
• 80g all purpose flour (I used Japanese superfine flour)

Method

1. Beat butter and sugar till fluffy
2. Sift in potato flour and superfine flour, mix to form a soft dough. 
3. Roll into small balls (about 2cm in diameter), arrange on baking tray and press lightly with a fork, dip the fork in water so the cookie dough wont stick to the fork). 
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 165degC for 15min. 

He loved the colorful cookies, he kept on stealing from my baking tray. 

I'm linking this post to Cook and Celebrate: CNY 2015, organized by Yen from Eat Your Heart Out, Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe, and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids. 

CNY themed art craft ~ dragon dance

It's been about a month Josh started going to his playschool, which is quite phonics class oriented. I was shocked that he has known about 90% of the phonics letter sound. I only realized when I wrote his name J.O.S.H, and he managed to recognize O, S, and H and pronounce them together with the phonics sound. So I tested him from A to Z, he basically managed all except that G and J sounds like alike and E and I sounds alike too, and there's no response from him when I asked Z says ... 

It's amazing to know how spongy toddlers' brains are. They absorb all that is thought, fast, and almost 100% of it. So, once again, I am reminded to spend more time with this little fella despite of the busy schedule I am in the midst of managing both Just Health and the boutique. 

Yesterday when I got back from work, he was still napping. When he woke, he was already asking me if he can do water-coloring. But I told him, we're gonna do 'crayon-coloring' today and we're gonna make 'dragon'. He has got no idea what dragon is. He kept calling it 'dragonfly' and 'dinosaur' cos these are something he knows. 

I printed the 'dragon' template that I downloaded from here. This was also something I saw from mommy Bear Lim's instagram and facebook. 

Material: 

• A3 paper for printing, you can also print on harder paper 
• Red paper for the dragon body, I used two angpao 
• Crayons 
• Lollipop sticks 
• Glue or doublesided tape 
• Scissors 
• 'Eyes' for the dragon (optional) 

Instructions: 

1. Print out the dragon template. The head and tail is double sided, so that the dragon looks ok on both sides. 
2. I let Josh color the dragon head, tail and feet using crayons. Of course, I helped him out. 
3. Then I folded the angpao while he's still coloring. When the coloring completes, I cut out the dragon head, tail and feet. 
4. I let him stick on the double-sided tape and tear it off to adhere them together. 

Tada~~~

He looks proud with his 'creation' 

Sesame hup toh soh 核桃酥 (Chinese walnut cookies)

I've always been a big fan of crumbly walnut cookies (or more commonly known as hup toh soh 核桃酥 in Chinese) since young. CNY is here in 4 days, I have only got two tubs of cookies done, and guess what, I'm still browsing through the blogs and contemplating on what else I should bake. Two weeks ago, a client of mine has told me she wants two tubs of whatever cookies I'm baking for myself. Because of her, I cannot not bake my cookies ;p and it gotta be something not normal! Came across this here, so I decided I should give this a go.

 

For all my home-baked stuffs, be it cookies or bread, I've always used organic ingredients. It's the same for this cookie, I use organic walnuts. I find that the seeds or nuts are much fresher and sweeter, and that they don't have that rancid taste.

 

It's my first time baking walnut cookies and I'm very impressed with it. It's easy (I molded the cookies in my bedroom, cos the others are out and my little baby boy is sound asleep) and it's very moorish. I let my sis in law tried it, she said, oh this cookies, you'll always want another one after your first one. Great!

 

I doubled up this recipe so that I can have extra for my 'client'. I also made some adaptation to the original recipe, like usual, I bake with molasses sugar (replacing castor sugar) and I mistakenly scooped in some black sesame powder (don't ask me how that happened), which turned out fine, and I cut the oil down by 20g (meaning 130g oil used), and it's grapeseed oil that I used.

 

Recipe adapted from Singapore Shiok!

• 50g organic walnut, lightly toasted and coarsely ground
• 250g all purpose flour, unbleached with about 1tbsp black sesame powder
• 1tsp pure vanilla extract
• 60g molasses sugar (oh, I also cut this down from 80g original recipe)
• 1tsp baking powder, natural
• 1tsp baking soda, natural
• pinch of salt
• 130ml organic grapeseed oil

Glaze:

• 1 beaten egg with about 1tbsp water

 

Instructions:

1. Lightly toast walnut, remove the skin (I remove them cos I was worried it may render a bitter taste to the cookies, let me know if that's needed) and coarsely grind with a blender (I used my baby's food babybullet cos it's small and I don't like the hassle of washing a big blender bowl).
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt with molasses sugar. Add in ground walnut. Mix in vanilla extract.
3. Drizzle in grapeseed oil. Mix with your hands until a smooth dough forms (no need to knead).
4. Preheat oven to 170deg C.
5. Shape dough into marble size balls. Press down centre with a chopstick, or your finger.
6. Glaze cookies with egg glaze.
7. Bake cookies for about 12-15min.

While I was blog-hopping looking for inspirations for my CNY bakes, I learnt that one of my 'friend' from a blog I followed lots has lost a very close one due to road mishap. Again, deepest condolence to her. For me, and rest of us, let this CNY serves as a reminder for us to always treasure our loved ones and our family.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm linking this post to Bake Along event, Chinese New Year cookies for the month of Jan 2014, organized by  Frozen Wing, Bake for Happy Kids and  Kitchen Flavours.



 

 

Strawberry and mango oat cookies

I just had this published, catered specially for moms who are committed to providing the best nutritional start for their little bubs. It consists of healthy delicious recipes suitable for those 10mths onwards till about 6 year old. They are all tried-and-tested recipes and greatly enjoyed by my little fella and my lovely other half. Due to this, the publishing work and selling and meeting the orders, I'm soooo overdue in terms of my CNY cookies baking. We are about 4 days away from CNY and I haven't gone any ready yet. The only one I baked was all gulfed down by my lovely other half. I even have orders to meet. OMG!!!



For sale at RM15 each. Please email justhealthsandakan@gmail.com to order.

So today, a lovely Saturday morning, I kicked my butt to make sure I start baking. It got to start. Or else, it will not be done. I have been thinking of baking CNY cookies that are different, not the typical ones that are found outside, and it gotta be something that my son can eats, means it's not too complicated in terms of its ingredients, uses pure stuffs, less sugar. So I baked these, this recipe is a recipe featured in the recipe book, but instead of cranberry, I used dehydrator-dried mango and strawberry. I also put in 2tbsp of oat flour to make up the total flour used.

I'm posting this out cos a friend insists that I show step-by-step photo when I bake. She told me, I dunno what you meant by 'soft and fluffy' for butter. Okay, I guess she's right. So here are some pictorial instructions and tips on baking cookies.

I only needed 2tbsp of oat flour, so I just grind 2tbsp of whole rolled oat using my baby bullet blender.

 

Note on butter:

1. Please use PURE UNSALTED BUTTER. Not solid vegetable fat. Solid vegetable fat does not hold the shape of the cookies well. Also, salt and additives are usually added into these solid vegetable fat. They tend to alter the taste and texture of the final product.

2. Chop the butter prior to beating them till 'soft and fluffy'. There is no need to melt the butter for this recipe. Just let the chopped butter sits in room temperature (about 20-27degC) for about 15-30min.

 

Soft and fluffy!

Add in chopped fruits. The original recipe uses chopped cranberries. This time, I used dried mango and strawberry that I made using my dehydrator.

 

Add in flour and oat flour. Combine till the dough resembles the texture of breadcrumb. Take note. There is no need to melt the butter at this stage too.

 



Spread the 'breadcrumb' dough on a piece of cling film. Wrap them into a ball. This is to make sure every single part of the dough is infused with the butter. Now you may use the heat from your palm to slightly melt the butter so that it fuse-in with the flour. Again, no need to go overboard. I kept on warning to not melt the butter, cos if you do so, your dough will not be pliable to shape with cookie cutter later on. It would be too soft. If it does become too soft, probably due to your room temperature or your body warmth, place the dough in fridge for about 20-30min and try again.

 

 

Add another piece of cling film on top. Roll with a rolling pin or just use anything that can roll to roll the dough to about 0.5cm thickness, or thinner, your choice. Cut the cookies with your desired choice of cookie cutter. I use a strawberry shape in this case to match the content :p

If your dough is very crumbly, your butter may have not been infused thoroughly. Try re-wrap the dough into a ball and repeat the step from above.

I made one panda shape to return credits to this recipe :)

Tada! My strawberry and mango oat cookies for CNY!

 



Note:

 

I have not shared the recipe of this shortbread cookies here. The recipe is featured in the book: Your Child's Brain Food Meal Plan. To order, please email justhealthsandakan@gmail.com.

 

But you may find many other recipes for cookies in my blog here. Enjoy surfing!

 





Please let me know if I have missed out any details in this pictorial instructions on baking cookies.

Making baby fruit snacks with dehydrator

Commercial 'baby' snacks are junk food in disguise. Read this if you're one of those moms who buy 'baby' snacks for your little one. I agree a lot with Christine Haskell. Many mommies buy puffs, drops, cookies labeled as 'baby' snack because they are convenient, less messy and they last long (definitely longer than a fresh banana). But unfortunately, they are not healthy. Quoted from Christine's blog, 'Take "puffs" for example. Out of three brands of puffs I've looked at, the sugar varies between 0.5 to 2 grams of sugar per serving, with very little nutritional value. In babies (over 6 months at least) who have limited tummy room, every single thing that goes in their mouth needs to be packed with nutrition, especially since anything other than their formula or breast milk (which is still the bulk of their diet) displaces the nutritionally-packed liquid food. Hence, nutrition? Super important'.

 

Instead of spending money on buying baby puffs or snacks that's loaded with sugar and stuffs to make them last longer, I invested in a dehydrator. I fell in love with it the first time I used it, and this post was longggg overdue!! I should have bought it way earlier. I bought the dehydrator when the little fella turned 1. So what was he snacking on prior to that? I gave him steamed carrots, roasted pumpkin, sweet potato, banana, cooked rice, cooked pasta, baked him muffin, cakes and bread. But these doesn't last long. The dehydrated fruit or veg snacks last for at least 1-2 weeks if dehydrated well and kept in an air-tight container. Actually, I don't just dehydrate the fruit or veg for the baby, I eat them myself (non-stop) as snacks, but it's ok, dehydrated tomato makes healthy snacks :p. I have also been using dehydrated fruit in baking.

 

Just Health Sandakan sells this fruit dehydrator. It's a premium grade dehydrator with FDA-approved materials for its food trays. Send an email to justhealthsandakan@gmail.com if you wish to find out more about the dehydrator. I also arrange for group buy for moms keen to purchase this dehydrator at a cheaper rate. Your may refer to this for further info on this dehydrator.

 

Took me 5hours for them to get to the right texture.



The baby's snacks this morning

This would make great gift for my MIL.

 

 

I've chopped these up and added them into my ...

 

 

Strawberry and  mango oat cookies

 

Sweet potato tang yuan (Rice glutinous balls) with sesame seed filling

 

 

It's winter solstice this Sunday. Mom and dad-in-laws are away for vacation, leaving behind me, hubby, bro-in-law and aunty. I guess there's no big meals for us then, since there's only four of us eating. But aunty has also invited another cousin-family over, ah.. not too bad. Our aunty was a chef, she never disappoints us when comes to reunion meals. I gladly volunteered to prepare the tang yuan for this Sunday's dinner, as there's only 8 of us and it's manageable for me. If it's the usual 30pax dinner, I am not sure if I would volunteer. Not that I don't want to, I am only afraid that I am not capable of preparing big dishes for a crowd.

 

I wanted to prepare purple color balls (glutinous rice balls, aka tang yuan) using purple sweet potatoes, but the purple ones are nowhere to be found when I went to the market this morning. So I just made do with the orange ones, Surprisingly, these orange ones taste really sweet and soft (sometimes I get the ones that aren't sweet). After realizing that they taste good, I made extra batches so that I can freeze them for this Sunday's dinner. Today's version was supposed to be a practice.

 

I started by making the filling. Looking at the photos, you would have thought it's peanut, nah.. it's not. I have plenty of white sesame seeds available, so I made a delicious and creamy one with white sesame seeds. Here's the recipe for the filling.

 

Roasted white sesame seeds filling, this recipe can fill about 100 or more tang yuan.  

• 220g white sesame seeds, toasted in the oven
• 100g molasses
• 80g butter/ oil 

1. Toast white sesame seeds in the oven until fragrant. Becareful, not to burn them.

2. In a blender, blitz the white sesame seeds with molasses until they turn into paste.

3. In a plastic bag, mix with melted butter. Chill in fridge. After about an hour, shape them into small balls.

 

For the tang yuan, here's the recipe, this recipe makes about 60-80 tang yuan

• 220g sweet potato, peeled and steamed  
• 120g glutinous rice flour
• 40g potato flour (this is added to give the glutinous rice balls the QQ texture)
• 1tbsp molasses
• water, about 4-6tbsp added while kneading the dough

Mix cooked sweet potato, glutinous rice flour, potato rice flour with sufficient water to form a smooth, non-sticky dough. Note: Add water little by little while kneading the dough. If the dough is too dry, it crumbles. The water used may differ due to the sweet potato used.

 

To make the tang yuan, take a small amount of dough (about the size of our thumb), roll into a ball, then press to form a small disc that is big enough to cover 1 sesame filling. Place 1 sesame ball in the centre of the dough, seal and roll into a ball.

 

To cook the tang yuan, bring a pan of water to boil, drop the tang yuan into them, let simmer until the tang yuan floats for at least 1min.

 

Recipe of tang yuan adapted from here.

Recipe for sesame filling adapted from here.