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Showing posts from December, 2012

Matchmaker cookies with White Chocolate Ganache

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Christmas Baking 5 I didn't get time before Christmas to post this biscuit recipe. It's yet another variation on the basic cookie recipe I posted a while ago. I made up a hamper for my aunt and wanted to make her some special biscuits. There was a box of Matchmaker chocolates and a bar of white chocolate hanging round, good Christmas flavours, so how could I use these? I came up with the idea of a double cookie - 2 cookies with the Matchmakers chopped up in them, sandwiched together with a white chocolate ganache. A real Christmas treat for my aunt. I thought they'd be fiddly to make, but they weren't. I made 15 double cookies from this recipe - 30 cookies Basic recipe: 225g butter [soft] 240g caster sugar 1 egg yolk [beaten] 2 tspn vanilla essence280g plain flour pinch salt Extras: 100g Matchmakers [or any mint chocolate sticks] chopped up finely icing sugar Filling: 2 tbspn double cream 100g white chocolate, broken up Preheat oven 190C/gas5 Line

Merry Christmas

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                                   Merry Christmas and a very Happy and Healthy New Year.

Caribbean cake

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This is a cake I was asked to make by a friend . I'm not a coconut lover, nor do I like pineapple, so not really my kind of cake. Anyway, I learned something by making it - how not to burn deccicated coconut when toasting it! Pineapple jam was new to me, but my OH loved it. This is the recipe I was given, tweaked a little bit, as I didn't add any coconut flavouring as suggested. Enough is enough! 225g butter, softened 225g vanilla/caster sugar 4 medium eggs 225g self raising flour splash of milk 50g desiccated coconut, toasted * 5 tbsp pineapple jam - or more if you're feeling generous *Sprinkle the coconut on a baking tray, pop in the preheated oven for 4-6 mins until toasted to a nice brown colour, and the smell is wonderful [of coconut!]. Keep and eye on it as it burns easily - as I found out! Malibu Buttercream 400g icing sugar 250g unsalted butter 4 tbsp Malibu, simmered in a small pan until reduced to 2 tbsp Preheat the oven to 180C/gas4. Grease and