SNICKERDOODLES from Emily, N.J.

The origin of Snickerdoodles is quite difficult to trace back precisely. Yet, "Joy of Cooking" - the bible of American cook book -  believes that it can have a German origin; Snickerdoodles being a corruption of the German word Schneckennudeln (lit. “snail noodles”), a kind of pastry. Some other sources think it can come from the Netherlands;

 

SNICKERDOODLES RECIPE

Preparation : 20 mins

Cook : 8-10 mins

Makes 3 or 4 dozen cookies.

INGREDIENTS :

• 1 cup (227 g) butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups (297g) sugar
• 2 ¾ cups (380g) flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

METHOD :

1. Preheat oven to 400°F, 205°C, th7.
   
   
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter, eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Set aside.
   
   

3. In another bowl, mix together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
    
   Add to creamed mixture, stir until well blended.
   
   
   
   
   
   Chill dough.
   
   
4. Roll into balls the size of a walnut.
   
   
5. In a plate, combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon and roll ball in this mixture.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Place about 2 inches (about 5 centimeters) apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Bake until slightly brown but still soft at 400°F or 205°C  for 8-10 minutes.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

ENJOY WITH A CUP OF TEA ;)

ANZAC BISCUITS

Our Australian penpals from "les mitrons australiens" challenged us to cook a traditional Australian biscuit : ANZAC biscuits.
Anzac biscuits are very popular in Australia and in New Zealand. Originally, they were made by the wives of the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) serving in Europe during World War I.

They kept well on the overseas voyage to Europe because they could be made without eggs. 
Nowadays, ANZAC day (April 25th) is celebrated in Australia and New Zealand . It commemorates  those Australians and New Zealanders who lost their lives on battlefields.
You can easily find Anzac biscuits in supermarket. 

 

Anzac tins work of art

 

 

 

 

ANZAC BISCUITS RECIPE

Preparation : about 20 minutes

Cook : about 10 minutes

Serves : about 20 biscuits

INGREDIENTS :

• 110 g butter ( 55 g unsalted butter and 55 g salted butter )
• 90 g (1 cup) rolled oats
• 80 g (1 cup) desiccated coconut
• 150 (1 cup)g plain flour
• 100 g (½ cup) caster sugar
• 50 g (¼ cup) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ( 6 g ) bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tablespoons ( 40 ml ) boiling water
• 2 tablespoons ( 40 ml ) honey or golden syrup

METHOD :

1. Preheat oven to 160°C .
   
   
2. Place butter and honey or golden syrup in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally .
   
   
   
   
   
3. Place oats , coconut , flour , caster sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl .
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Stir together until well combined .

4. When butter has melted , conbine bicarbonate of soda and boiling water in a small bowl or cup and then stir into the butter and honey mixture.
   
   
5. Add butter mixture to dry ingredients .
   
   
   
   
   
   Stir ingredients together until well combined .
   
   
   
   
   
6. Roll level the mixture into balls ( about 28 g mixture per ball ) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Using your fingers or a fork , flatten the balls to form discs ( 1 cm thick , 5 cm diameter ) .

7. Bake for about 10 minutes , until biscuits are golden but still soft .
   ( a longer cooking time will produce crisper , drier biscuits ) .

8. Cool biscuits on a tray .

ENJOY WITH A CUP OF TEA ; )

LEMON CURD

 

Homemade lemon curd is quick and easy . Traditionally, it was used as a spread for scones, but today it is used as filling for tarts, pies and cakes.
Of course, lemon is not the only flavour of curd. You can try with limes, grapefruits and oranges.
Some fruit are sweeter than others, adjust your sugar up or down accordingly.

LEMON CURD RECIPE

Preparation : 20 mins
Cook : 5 to 10 mins


INGREDIENTS :

• 2 unwaxed lemons, zest and juice
• 120g sugar
• 75 g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of Maïzena

METHOD :

•  Whisk whole eggs and sugar until smooth .

• 
  

   Add the juice, zest and Maïzena to egg mixture and whisk.
  
  
   
   
• Put the mixture into a saucepan and add the butter into cubes.
   
• Then, place the pan over a low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is creamy and thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
  
  
   
• When it's cool, transfer to a clean jar. Cover and refrigerate.
  
  
  
  
• You can keep it one week in a fridge. Or you can use it to fill in a tart.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   ENJOY WITH A CUP OF TEA ; )
  
  
  
  
  

APPLE CRUMBLE

A traditional British Apple Crumble is so delicious and so easy to make ! It combines the sourness of cooking apples, the sweetness of sugar and the spiciness of cinnamon.

You can change fruit (pears, raspberries, bananas ...) depending on the season.

APPLE CRUMBLE RECIPE

Preparation time : 30 min

Cook : 30 to 40 min

Serves : 10

Ingredients :

For the crumble :

• 330 g flour
• 100 g brown sugar
• 180 g butter
• 80g nuts chopped roughly

For the filling :

• 
  1,3 kg apples
• 30 g brown sugar
• the juice of ½ a lemon (optional the zest of ½ a lemon)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 100 g dried currants

Method :

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C
   
   
2. Peel the apples, core them and cut them in cubes
   
   
3. Place the fruit into a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, the cinnamon, the lemon juice, the dried currants. Stir well being careful not to break up the fruit.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Put the fruit mixture into a 24cm rectangular dish.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Crumble method : place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. 
   Cut the butter in little cubes and rub them in the flour mixture « with the tip of fingers ». Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 
   Add the chopped nuts and mix gently.
   
   
   
6. Sprinkle the crumble mixture on the top of the fruit mixture.
   
   
   

   

    
7. Bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the crumble is browned or golden and the fruit mixture bubbling.
   
   
8. Serve with thick cream or custard or a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

Enjoy with a nice little cup of tea ;)

NEW - YORK'S BROWNIES

Chocolate brownies are a classic American dessert. We frequently debate their finer points : fudgy, or cakey ? Dark or milk chocolate ?

INGREDIENTS : (serves 10 pieces)

• 200 g dark chocolate (50 to 70%)
• 130 g sugar
• 140 g butter
• 1 pack of vanilla sugar
• 50 g sifted plain flour
• 3 eggs
• 100g of chopped walnuts or macadamia nuts
• a pinch of salt

METHOD :

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C
   
   
2. Melt the chocolate chopped finely in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water simmering and NOT boiling) 
    
3. Melt the butter in a microwave oven for 30 seconds
   
   
4. Stir in the melted chocolate into the melted butter and mix very gently.
   
   
5. Add the sugar, the vanilla sugar, the beaten eggs with the salt and stir in gently.
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Add the sifted flour, stir in with a rubber spatula
   
   
7. Add the nuts and mix but not overmix
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Pour the batter into a square or rectangular tin (approximately 14cm x 18cm) lined with grease-proof paper.
   
   
9. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes, then turn down to 160°C for 5 minutes, finally turn off the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes ( Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out moist, but not clean ) .
10. Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes, you can put it into the fridge.
    
    
11. Cut it into square or rectangular pieces but not before it is completely cool.

Enjoy with a cup of tea ;-)

GINGERBREAD MEN  RECIPE 

Preparation : 30 to 45 mins

Cook : 8 to 10 mins

Ingredients :

350 g flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1,5 tsp ground ginger

0,5 tsp mixed spices

125g butter at room temperature

175 g brown sugar

1 free-range egg

4 tbsp honey or golden syrup

To decorate :

writing icing

cake decorations

Method :

1 Preheat oven to 180°C .

2 Mix the flour, ginger, cinnamon, mixed spices and bicarbonate of soda.

3 Add the butter and rub in with fingertips until the mix looks like breadcrumbs.

4 Stir in the sugar and mix.

5 Beat the egg and honey together and add to the mixture until combined.

If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour to the mix.

6 Refrigerate for 15 minutes or more if you can.

7 Roll out to a 5 mm thick on a lightly floured surface.

8 Using cookie cutters, cut shapes and place on a tray with greaseproof paper.

9 Bake gingerbread men for 8 - 10 minutes.

10 Leave the gingergread men cool on a tray for about 10 minutes.

11 Decorate them as you want with the writing icing or other decorations.

Mad Gingerbread men

Enjoy with a cup of tea ;-)