4 thumbs up for this butterscotch almond crunch thumbprint!

The saying goes " Give only what you want to receive." Well, I have been working on this recipe to make the end result more than just "great and was inspired by my butterscotch cat here in "All my Giddy Kitties"!!! I have not made dessert since December and I figured now was as good a time as any especially when a good friend asked me to bake for the less fortunate! What I received in return were many" dirty chocolaty faces", all 40 of them and most importantly "smiles!"

This is also my entry for a garnishing event hosted by Food Fanatic also Chitra Ammas kitchen for her kitchen masterpiece event. See details below!!

I really have no rules where presentation and garnishing are concerned. I will use just about anything to complement the main dish. The edgier and the more unconventional, the better!

These are butterscotch almond crunch thumbprints with a stencil of a bear made from dark cocoa powder as a garnish. I used the tip of a skewer to "draw the strings that is tied to the balloons." These thumbprints have melted dark and butterscotch chocolate and this is my "kid" version of the presentation. The dough itself is made with very little sugar so it is not that sweet!





Please lick my tummy! I love you thissssss
much!



Visit Food Fanatic, click on her logo below for more on this beautiful event!




This is the more " grown up" presentation with the
butterscotch mousse and cream on the inside. The
taste.....naughty but oh! so nice! It is a close second
to S.. and being seduced!




This " buttery creamy mousse" reminds me of a South
African toffee ice pop I used to love!

Ryk en lekker!








Lightly brush the melted chocolate inside the cavities!
Use "Valrhona Gran Couva" for the dark chocolate. I
received a few bars from the manufacturer to try in my
desserts. Now I am hooked!!!




Praline: this is a half cup of organic sugar and three oz.
of almonds. Pour the organic sugar in a heavy bottom pan
and cook over medium heat until golden. Place
the almonds evenly on well sprayed parchment and
then pour the melted sugar evenly over the almonds.





When the Praline is cooled down, process in a food
processor to this consistency below. Or you can use a
mallet to crush the praline.




Brush the balls with beaten egg-
white and then roll into the praline.
Place these unbaked thumbprints
about two inches apart. They do spread!
Once baked and the aroma hits the "fan,"
you will have friends (..... and maybe admirers ) , ones you never
knew you had!!




These butterscotch chocolate morsels are the stars in my "Butterscotch
almond crunch thumbprints!




Food Fanatic is hosting a "garnishing and food presentation" event. Check out her site for details! Now this is an event that is just so much fun!!!Click on the logo below!




Recipe: Makes about 12 ( I bet you are going to triple this recipe!!!!!)

Please use organic ingredients when possible

• 3 T sugar
• 1 stick unsalted European Butter
• pinch of kosher salt
  
• 1 egg yolk( use the egg white as indicated below) Egg-lands best please!
  
• 1 t vanilla ( I use the one from Santo Domingo)
• 2 oz melted butterscotch morsels( use the rest for filling cavities}
• 3 t instant butterscotch pudding ( kosher kind)
  
• 1 cup Mc Arthur's ( I meant to say King Arthur ha! ha! ) all purpose flour( sifted) plus 3- 4 T extra if dough is too wet.
  
• some dark chocolate to fill cavities
• whipped heavy cream
  

Cream the sugar and the butter and the salt until creamy in your Kitchenaid ( I make times four the amount). Add the vanilla, the yolk and incorporate and then add the melted butterscotch morsels and mix again. Sift the flour and the butterscotch pudding together and incorporate this by hand , do not overmix, and then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Make little balls and then brush with beaten egg white and roll into the praline. Make the indentations with your thumb and bake at 350 ( pre-heated) degrees for 15 mins until golden. Take the cookies out after 10 mins. of baking time and use the back of a wooden spoon to define the hole again and then place back in the oven for that last 5 mins. of baking time. Cool completely! I make mine the day before and then the next day I fill the cavities with chocolate so that cookies are completely dry on the inside.

For the mousse:
Make the rest of the butterscotch instant pudding according to package directions with very little milk and lighten this with some organic whipped cream. You can also pipe the two tone colors with the butterscotch mousse and the plain whipped cream like in my picture above.


This entry is also going to Chitra for a blog b/day masterpiece event! Visit and enter and have some fun!!! Click on her logo below!







Nazarina A

Holiday cookies: Celtic shortbread galore and a whole lot more.....!

It feels like I have not been blogging for the longest time! Yep, the Holidays are certainly my busiest period for my crafts and culinary delights and deadlines have to be met! You guys have become my family in the blogosphere and I do miss you all so terribly when I do not communicate with you on a regular basis. May you only have joy and peace during the Holidays and may all your wishes come true! God bless!!!

Celtic Designer shortbread ( Made in a mold) I made this design with all my Irish friends in mind but it is to be enjoyed by all in kind!!!

This shortbread is a far cry from the boxed version! When you bite into my homemade version, the "crumb" simply melts on your tongue. This shortbread offers absolutely no resistance to your taste buds! A shortbread connoisseur knows just by looking at this cookie that there will be no "snap" here just a soft crunch and then ahhhh...... complete and utter meltdown! This buttery cookie is made of the most superior ingredients and they may just make you dance an Irish jig . Ha! ha!
Please see my Grandmother's recipe below! I owe Her and my Mother a great debt of gratitude for this innate culinary and crafty artistry I possess! I have an insatiable quest to adapt all my Grandmother's recipes to above 5280 ft above sea level here in Colorado!! Believe me this altitude is a force to be reckoned with and I want nothing less than that same superior quality that she demanded!

Click on pictures! Rich buttery shortbread




A little dip in chocolate heaven!





Click here for recipe "Ginger choc crust cookies with eggnog shots"
Another one of my Grandmother's favorite Holiday cookies. One has to use roasted dessicated coconut in this cookie. See the eggnog recipe below if you prefer a homemade one.




Click here for recipe " Aero peppermint cookie"
This was my favorite chocolate bar when I was growing up in South Africa. Now I have made it into a cookie! This cookie has matcha powder in it and exudes an air of Christmas spirit because of the peppermint extract.




Holiday cookies 2007! Last year I taught a bunch of little children to make cookies for their trees. Their parents approached me again this year, but I said that I was busy! Oh come on!, I am really snowed under!!!


"Gingerbros"( This is what my nephew calls it and may I add that this gingerbread is not hard like some gingerbread tend to get if they should sit for a day!! It has a light crisp and a delightful chew! I shall have to post this recipe another time or e-mail me if you guys are really interested in this gingerbread). I use golden syrup in this cookie, a British product!


Edible shortbread cookie ornaments ( stained glass and royal icing)










Holiday cookies of 2006! ( My first attempt at the edible Christmas ornaments ha! ha!



Recipes

Celtic shortbread plain:

Organic ingredients an absolute must!

• 4 oz European butter ( rm. temp). During the winter months in Denver, the butter is still cold and a little hard even though it was left out of the refrigerator for 3 hours)
  
• 1T rice flour
• 1\3 c powdered sugar
• 1 c McArthurs unbleached all purpose flour, minus 2 tablespoons
• 1 T organic corn starch

Please double the amounts! Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl ( do not sift) and then rub the butter into this flour mixture until it resembles little pebbles. Press the dough together firmly and then knead into a smooth shiny ball. If you do not have molds, then just press into round cake pans( 7 inch well greased), prick with a fork all over and bake in a 325 degree oven for about 45- to 55 mins until golden. Cut into wedges if using a round cake pan or you could use an 11 inch x 7 inch rectangular pan and cut into squares. The idea for this shortbread is to have thick bar- like shapes!

Ginger and cardamom shortbread

• 1 stick European butter( rm. temp)
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 2t ground ginger
• 1/4 t cardamom
• 1 c all purpose McArthur's flour minus 2 T
• 1 T rice flour
• 1 T cornstarch

Mix the butter until creamy. Add the brown sugar, ginger and cardamom and mix well until smooth and creamy . Add the unsifted flours and incorporate and then knead into a smooth ball. Follow the same baking instructions as for the Celtic shortbread !

Chocolate shortbread

• 4 oz European butter
• 1/2 c powdered sugar
• 1 t good vanilla extract
• 1 c flour minus 2T
• 1 T rice flour
• 1 T cornstarch
• 11/2 T Dutch cocoa powder.

Follow the same instructions as above.

Homemade virgin eggnog ( I do temper the eggs!) Then again if I do not want to make it from scratch, I rely on the Borden for the canned or just a good organic refrigerated brand. I must confess that the freshly made version does have that extra creamy taste!

• 3 Egglands best eggs
• 1 T organic turbinado sugar
  
• 3 and a half cups organic milk
• some nutmeg
• 1 c organic softly whipped heavy cream
• 11/2 c melted New york vanilla ice cream
• some imitation rum extract( I do not use liquor)
  
• 1 T of deep vanilla( the one from Santo Domingo rocks!!!)
  

Separate the eggs and place only the yolks in a bain marie( water bath) and whisk with the sugar until frothy about 15 mins over medium heat. Save the whites for another time and another use. Take off the heat and let cool and then add the milk, flavorings and spice and whisk vigorously. When this mixture is really cool to the touch, transfer to a pretty punch bowl and then whisk in the melted ice cream. Gingerly whisk in half of the cream and last but not least "float" cannelles of the remainder of the whipping cream on top!

This eggnog will knock your socks off! It is a good thing Christmas only comes once a year!

An award ( Click on the "Superior scribbler award") , it should transport you to its birthplace for all the rules of this prestigious award!!!

This outstanding "Superior Scribbler Award" was given to me by REENI. ( Queen of American comfort cuisine) Thank you so much! I do scribble and doodle all the time but this is exactly where great creativity is born LOL! So, off it goes to:


http://kitchenflavours.blogspot.com/
http://literallyinthemoment.blogspot.com/
http://yasmeen-healthnut.blogspot.com/
http://inmymind-ncfoodie.blogspot.com/
http://chitra-ammas-kitchen.blogspot.com/

Please enjoy!
Nazarina A

Brown butter Naan Khatai (Indian shortbread) good enough to celebrate Independence Day!

The United States is truly a jamboree of dynamic cultures and it is this very diverse cuisine that should bring people closer together no matter what the ethnicity. So let us all abolish "xenofoodophobia" from our gastronomic vocabulary and let food unite all those unnecessary divisions!
Here, now, is my contribution to celebrate red, white and blue with a multi-cultural flair. Happy birthday America!

Brown butter Naan Khatai
Please use organic ingredients if possible!


3/4 c unsalted European butter ( 11/2 sticks). Melt in saucepan and brown, then skim off the solids that form on the top and use only the clarified portion. It takes about 20mins to brown on low heat. Do not burn! Cool and then place in refrigerator for 10 mins.

1/2 c superfine sugar.
1/4 t bicarbonate of soda ( baking soda)
1/4 t nutmeg
1 level t ground cardamom
2 c sifted King Arthur's all purpose flour.

Method:
Let the clarified brown butter come completely to room temp. and then beat together with the cardamom, nutmeg, bicarb and sugar until creamy( 7 mins) . Add the flour gradually to make soft dough. Shape into rounds ( teaspoonfuls) and flatten tops ever so slightly. Place on silpat on cookie tray and bake in a preheated 330 degree oven for 30 mins.
It is imperative to cool cookies considerably before removing from the sheet. It is extremely crumbly and delicate.

These cookies will not brown too much because the milk solids were removed from butter that causes the browning. They are absolutely intense and buttery and simply just melts in your mouth! A cup of tea would be a perfect accompaniment

I normally remove the cookies the next day from the cookie sheet and decorate this traditional cookie with pistachios, but the red and blue food color dots is in keeping with July 4Th celebrations. Makes about 15.

Enjoy!

Do you ever reminisce? your Grandmother's cookie bliss!

Old favorites that my Grandmother used to make. A crispy fresh coconut cookie which was so coconutty and d.... good and a cookie called an Essie( with strong overtones of elachi(cardamon). I tried to recreate the Essie, but I do not think that I have done this cookie justice. It was good but it did not come from her hand!

Hout Bay is where I remembered my Grandparents getting that really good fish from called Snoek. Oh my gosh! I wish I had a piece of smoked snoek and a slice of crushed wheat bread! I cannot stop thinking about them. I wish I wish............

Nazarina.

Aero peppermint cookie

Peppermint Aero cookies





I had to come up with a fresh new cookie for a client for St Patrick's day. This is what I visualized and made( a peppermint dark chocolate shortbread cookie with peppermint extract and a liquid molten dark chocolate aero bar in the center just like my favorite chocolate bar I grew up with in Cape Town.

It is okay if it has to live in the shadow of the chocolate bar because both are really goooood!

Also good for the Holidays!


Please use organic ingredients

Recipe:

1 cup European butter unsalted (2 sticks) like Plugra Room temp.
1/2 cup organic sugar (Florida crystals)
1Tablespoon vanilla (From Santo Domingo)
1 beaten egg (organic or egg lands best
2 cups of King Arthur all purpose flour.


For the green dough:
Beat the sugar and the butter with electric mixer until sugar crystals are completely dissolved. Add the egg and incorporate. Add the vanilla and then 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract. Fold in 2T matcha and the flour. Do not over mix. If your dough is a bit wet then add up to 1/2 cup flour. The dough should be soft. Cover and set aside. (I only add 2 c flour minus 2 T because of the fact that I live above 5000 ft and I constantly have to adjust my recipes.)

For the chocolate dough:

Use the same basic recipe above take out 2 T of flour and add 2 T of Dutch cocoa and if your dough is too sticky, just add a little bit more flour.
Roll out green dough to about ¼ inch thick and using a pizza cutter cut out long strips ½ inch wide and carefully set aside. Do the same with the chocolate dough. Alternately lay the strips closely next to each other and just lightly go over with rolling pin to “bond” strips together. Cut out with a decorative flower cutter and place on silpat on baking tray. While on the baking tray, use another smaller size cutter and cut the middles and remove these are going to be the tops of the cookie. The bottoms could either be a solid green or a solid chocolate. I, however, painstakingly detached the bits of green dough from the chocolate dough and re rolled. Bake in a pre heated 350 for 12-15 mins or until you can smell the aroma of peppermint cookies. Melt the peppermint aero chocolate with some milk, lightly smear on the bottom solid cookie place on the top. Fill the little opening with a little more melted choc. You can also use creme dE menthe choc or dark chocolate if you cannot find Aero.

E-mail me if you have a problem

Hope you enjoy!



Pictures from the book "This is Cape town" by D. Biggs.

Freedom often eludes people in bondage. What good is all this beauty when apartheid continues to rear its ugly head---now in the form of reversed discrimination?

Nazarina

Ice cream sandwitches

"mint chip"

"Mexican wedding cookie with pecans in the dough"

Here's to all those ice cream moments! Our favorites "mint chip ice cream and dulce de letche ice cream sandwitches.

Recipes adapted from "Ice cream treats." I truly enjoy baking from this book!

Matrimonial cookies: Rich shortbread

Adapted recipe from, " The artful cookie."

How sweet it is! I travelled to the USA from a far off land, South Africa, and met my husband here who was born in Poland, the one that puts the sparkle in my eye, the one that laughs at all my idiosyncrasies and encourages all my dishes!

Nazarina.