Mung Bean Cookies

This is my second CNY creation - Mung Bean/ Green Bean Cookies. Another recipe copy from LCOM. The cookies melt in your mouth and have a very similar taste as the peanut cookie minus the peanut. I used mung bean powder instead of green bean flour. I always thought they are the same, can anyone confirm if they indeed mean the same thing? Because mine turn out to be green in color.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. cornflour
• 3/4 cup mung bean powder
  
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 egg yolk, for glazing

Method:

• Cream butter, powdered sugar and salt until creamy.
• Mix in sifted flours and hand knead until a dough is formed.
• Scoop the dough with a teaspoon and roll into a ball.
  
• Brush the top of each cookie with the yolk glaze.
• Bake in preheated 300F oven for 20 minutes.

Melting Moments

One day I was searching for food idea to prepare Aidan’s birthday party snack and came across this blog. The first thing that caught my eyes was the picture of the cookies, then the name of the cookies. Melting Moments, what an interesting name. I wonder if that how you feel when you place a cookie in your mouth. There aren't any other way to find it out besides to try it out myself.

The original recipe can be found from Feed Me I'm Hungry and this is my modify version.

Cookie Ingredients:

• 250g Unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 60g confectioner sugar
• 175g Plain flour
• 60g Corn flour

Cookies Method:

• Preheat oven to 340 degree F
• Beat butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract until soft and fluffy.
• Sift together corn flour and plain flour and fold into butter mixture in two lots.
• Line baking trays with non-stick baking paper or spray the cookie sheet with PAM
• Scoop 1 tsp of the cookie dough and place on the baking tray. Ensure that the cookie dough is placed approximately 1.5 inch apart from each other.
• Bake in the oven for 12 - 15 minutes or until biscuits are a light golden.
• Remove from oven and cool.

Orange Buttercream Filling

• 100g confectioner sugar
• 100g Unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tsp orange juice

Method:

• Beat sugar, unsalted butter and orange juice until light and fluffy.
• Place about 1/2 tsp of buttercream into one of the cookie halves and sandwich with the other half.
• Store in an air tight container.

Makes 30 sandwiched cookies

Verdict:

Before adding the icing, hubby thought the cookie taste very good by itself without the icing (He is not an icing lover). This is my kind of cookie, rich buttery flavor but not too sweet.

After adding the icing, he was amazed with the outcome. The first word from him was GOOD! He told me that he never understands what they mean by Melting Moments and now he got it. Everything, the cookie and icing is literally melted in your month. This cookie reminded me the Christmas butter cookie except it is more fragile and crisp, the icing make this whole thing taste more interesting. Definitely a yes to the birthday party snack.

Cranberries Pistachios Biscotti

This is another keeper from my old baking collection. This recipe comes from Giada De Laurentiis - one of my favorite foodnetwork stars. The red color from the berries and the green color from the nut make this a perfect backing for Christmas. I made this as my Christmas gifts to my friends 2 years back and they all love it. I know that we are not even close to holiday's season but I think this biscotti taste good with a cup of cappuccino at anytime of the year.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend.
• Beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend.
• Beat in the eggs 1 at a time.
• Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended.
• Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
• Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes.
• Cool for 30 minutes.
• Place the log on the cutting board.
• Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices.
• Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.

Recipe provide by FoodNetwork

Raspberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies

While I was searching for some old photo for my mother’s day photo album, I came across some treats pictures that I made back in Dec 2005. I don’t know when I will be able to make them again, so I though maybe I should keep post them here before they get lost. One of the creation was Jam Thumbprint cookies from ina Garten from her show Barefoot Contessa. I love her show. Most of her recipes are very simple and de.li.ci.ous!


Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water, for egg wash
• 7 oz sweetened flaked coconut
• Raspberry jam

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until just combined, and then add the vanilla.
• Sift together the flour and salt.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar.
• Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls.
• Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut.
• Place the balls on an un-greased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger.
• Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown.

Recipe provide by FoodNetwork