Chinese Almond Cookies

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I admire so many things about the Asian cultures, people and their food. I especially love that I get to share in a bit of the culture by living in multicultural Western Sydney. The hustle and bustle of the marketplace, people calling out for you to try their fresh produce, families enjoying freshly made meals, teaching their children about their roots, just fills me with joy!

I wanted to try making something traditional to celebrate Chinese New Year 2019. If you frequent Asian grocery stores like I do, there’s a good chance that you will have seen these cookies before. Some of you may have even had these as treats growing up. The soft, crumbly, almond flavoured delicacies are truly amazing, especially paired with a cup of tea! The great thing about them is, you can have them any time of the year…

Give them a go, with my version of the traditional recipe, below.

Ingredients:

1 cup Almond Meal

2 cups Plain flour

1 cup cubed Butter

1 cup caster sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp almond extract

Method:

1) Cream together the butter and sugar.

2) Add in the flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and almond extract and combine to form a dough.

3) Chill the dough in the fridge for an hour at least.

4) Roll the dough into balls, place them on a greased and lined baking tray, and flatten them slightly with your palm.

5) Give each cookie a slight egg wash, and place one piece of sliced almond in the centre of each.

6) Bake the cookies in a pre- heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius until golden brown.

** the cookies will be soft, but will harden slightly as they cool. Don’t be impatient, leave them on the tray to cool completely before packaging the cookies.

I hope you have enjoyed this post, and that you have a go at making these cookies for your loved ones! If you would like to collaborate with me, or, if you would like to make any suggestions or even provide some feedback, please feel free to contact me.

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @nazzybaker and like and share this post with your friends.

Until next time…. happy baking!

xxx Nazzy Baker xxx

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Nazzy’s Vanilla Cake Recipe

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Happy New Year everyone!

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted, and I apologise for my lack of content. While I have not taken a break from baking and sharing on Instagram and Facebook, I did need a bit of a break from blogging. After a lot of reflection, I am back, and I hope to make nazzybaker.com bigger and better this year.

With so much to look forward to, I thought I would share my first bake of 2019 with you all.

This cake was made for my dad, who is a massive fan of a cuppa tea and a slice of plain vanilla cake in the afternoon after work. On my recent trip to Queensland, Dad asked if I would bake a plain cake for for him.

I found a few recipe ideas, rummaging through a few ancient cook books. With so many great recipes, I took notes on ingredients I liked. How often do you see a recipe that calls for butter and oil?? I added that to my list of things to try, and at the end of this exercise, let’s just say that I was on a mission in mums kitchen, to make the best tasting cake ever.

This is the recipe I used:

Ingredients:

370g Plain Flour

370g Caster Sugar

4 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

230g Butter softened

1 tbsp Vanilla Extract

295 ml Whole Milk

90 ml Vegetable Oil

3 Large Eggs

Method:

1) Cream the butter and caster sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

2) Whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.

3) Add the whisked wet ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar slowly while mixing on medium speed until combined. Note: adding the wet ingredients too quickly may result in curdling.

4) Sift the dry ingredients into the mixture, and continue to mix until a batter forms and all the ingredients are well mixed. Try not to over mix your cake batter.

5) Pour the batter into a cake pan and bake in a preheated oven at 150 degrees Celsius, till cooked and golden brown. The low temperature of the oven will allow the cake to cook slower, and rise more evenly.

*** Nazzy Baker’s top tip:

Lining the outside of your cake pan with damp paper towels and clean damp tea towels, and then baking your cake, will result in a more even and moist cake due to the slowed cooking process and the steam generated from the damp towels.

I hope you have enjoyed this post, and that you have a go at making this cake for your loved ones! If you would like to collaborate with me, or, if you would like to make any suggestions or even provide some feedback, please feel free to contact me.

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @nazzybaker and like and share this post with your friends.

Until next time…. happy baking!

xxx Nazzy Baker xxx

Nazzy Baker’s blood orange and turmeric cake

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Tumeric powder (Haldi), is a spice that has been a staple in many Indian homes for hundreds of years. While I can’t speak for all, I know that my family definitely takes its health benefits for granted. We’re more concerned about the colour and flavour it brings to our curries. Had I known that turmeric lattes would be a ‘thing’ when I was in primary school, maybe I wouldn’t have tried so hard to hide my curried potato sandwiches from my friends. Yes, carb on carb… absolutely heavenly!

The idea of adding turmeric to a cake or dessert toyed with my mind for days. I wondered how much I could add to a recipe to bring out the colour, but not to overpower the cake. I wasn’t sure which form of turmeric to use, powdered or fresh? A colleague of mine told me of a delicious Lebanese turmeric cake her mum often makes. Seeing someone talk so fondly about their mums cooking sparks all sorts of emotions in me. I only hope that one day, my girls will speak of the food I prepare for them the same way. Upon hearing of her mums delicacy, I decided I would take the risk and experiment with the versatile spice.

I was visiting my mother in law one afternoon, and as I do every time I go over, I raided her pantry and fruit bowl. She is one woman that has a knack for picking up the most unique ingredients and just giving them a try. Shopping in her pantry is bliss for an experimental baker like myself. I happened to find a tray of fresh turmeric, and some ripe blood oranges in her fruit bowl. Not sure how the flavour combination would go, I decided to take a gamble, and boy am I happy that I did!

My house smelt wonderfully citrusy as the cake was baking, and the cake…. well lets just say, that it was most certainly a winner! Try making it yourself, and let me know how you go! Here’s how I did it:

Nazzy Bakers blood orange and turmeric bundt cake:

Ingredients: (you can half the recipe for a smaller cake tin)

2 cups softened butter (not margarine)

3 cups caster sugar

8 eggs lightly beaten

2 cups plain flour

2 cups self raising flour

Juice of 1 blood orange

1 blood orange cut into small pieces

2 blood oranges cut into thin slices

1 tsp of grated fresh tumeric

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

1/2 cup blood orange juice

Method:

  1. Warm the milk, and add the grated turmeric to it. Let it soak.
  2. Line the greased baking tin with thinly sliced oranges.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale.
  4. Add the eggs in slowly, mixing between additions.
  5. Add the blood orange juice and mix well until combined.
  6. Fold the sifted flours through the wet ingredients until combined.
  7. Next, add in the turmeric infused milk, and the grated turmeric pieces and mix them in to the batter.
  8. Pour the batter over the lined baking tin, scattering the orange pieces through the mixture haphazardly.
  9. Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius, until the cake is browned and cooked through.
  10. Make the glaze by mixing the icing sugar and the orange juice.
  11. Once the cake is cooled, drizzle over the glaze, and serve with a cup of tea.

A massive shout out to the man behind the lens, for his time and patience! You’re the best ❤️

I hope you have enjoyed this post, and that you have a go at making this cake for your loved ones! If you would like to collaborate with me, or, if you would like me to test other flavour combinations, feel free to contact me. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @nazzybaker and like and share this post with your friends.

Until next time…. happy baking!

xxx Nazzy Baker xxx

Nazzy Bakers Edible Eid Puzzle

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Eid Mubarak to all that celebrated Eid last weekend! I hope you all had a wonderful day with family and friends.

As you may know, Eid is my favourite holiday of the year.

Whilst setting up my Eid table on Thursday evening, I had a bright idea, to make these puzzle cookies for the kids to give away to their friends. Inspired by the works of many of my Muslim blogger friends, I thought I’d get cracking to share this blog with you 🙂

Edible Puzzle Making Instructions:

Download, resize and print the template:

Making your Cookie Dough:

• Cream 200g of softened butter with 200g of caster sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.

• Add to the mixture 1 beaten egg and mix well.

• Add a tsp of vanilla

• Add in 400g of sifted plain flour, and mix to form a cookie dough.

• Allow the dough to rest, and heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Once the dough has rested, roll out the dough and cut to form the puzzle.

Place the puzzle pieces onto lined baking sheets and then bake until golden brown.

Allow the cookies to cool, and then cover each piece with rolled fondant.

Outline your artwork using edible markers.

Paint the puzzle as desired.

Package your puzzle pieces into a gift box, and give them to friends that might enjoy this delicious puzzle!

For the ‘how to’ video, follow me on Instagram @nazzybaker

I hope you have enjoyed this post:) If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me on Facebook messenger, or by email : nazzybaker@gmail.com

Salted Caramel Choc Chip Cookies

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If you are looking for a quick and easy recipe for cookies, to satisfy your 3:30itis cravings, you’ve got to try Lulu’s and Lailai’s Salted Caramel Choc Chip Cookie recipe.

Ingredients:

125g softened butter

1/2 cup of white sugar

1/2 cup of soft brown sugar

1 beaten egg

1 tsp salted caramel essence

1/4 tsp salt

1 3/4 cup of self raising flour

200g chocolate chips

Method:

1) Cream the sugars and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer.

2) Add in the beaten egg, salted caramel essence and salt and beat till combined.

3) Add in the flour and mix till incorporated into the creamed mixture.

4) Using a wooden spoon, mix in the chocolate chips.

5) Roll a teaspoon full of mixture between your palms into a ball and place on a greased and lined baking sheet.

6) Bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius until golden brown.

7) Serve warm or cold with a glass of milk or with tea or coffee.

I hope you have enjoyed this post:) If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me on Facebook messenger, or by email : nazzybaker@gmail.com

Don’t forget to like and share this idea with anyone that you think would enjoy it!

xx NaZzYbAkEr xx

Date and Sour Cherry bread, topped with crushed honey almonds

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The cravings for raisin toast on the Easter long weekend were real. With all the major shops closed, I decided to make my own fruit bread for breakfast with ingredients I had in my pantry. Who would have thought that sour cherries and dates would be a match made in heaven? Certainly not I! That is, until now… Try making this loaf yourself, and tell me what you think!

Nazzy Bakers Date and Sour Cherry Bread with crushed honey almonds:

Ingredients:

600g strong bread flour

350ml Luke warm water

2 tsp instant yeast

1 cup chopped dried sour cherries

1 cup chopped dried dates

Egg wash

Method:

1) Add flour to a large mixing bowl, and sprinkle over the yeast, and mix till the yeast is incorporated into the flour.

2) Add the water, and mix to form a dough.

3) To the dough, add the dried fruit and knead to combine.

4) Allow the dough to prove in a warm place, covered in cling film (plastic wrap).

5) When doubled in size (after an hour or so), knead the dough again and shape the dough as desired.

6) Allow the dough to prove again.

7) Brush the top of the loaf with egg wash, and then sprinkle over some honey almonds (optional).

8) Bake the bread in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius until golden brown.

9) Serve warm or cold, with butter.

I hope you have enjoyed this post:) If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me on Facebook messenger, or by email : nazzybaker@gmail.com

Don’t forget to like and share this idea with anyone that you think would enjoy it!

xx NaZzYbAkEr xx

Nazzy Bakers White Chocolate Mango and Coconut Mud Cake

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A few weeks ago, I was asked to create a show stopper cake for an event I was to attend.  I needed a cake recipe that would give me a WOW factor result. Of all my experimental cake flavors, one of the most loved has got to be my mango drizzle cupcakes. Coming close in second place is my white chocolate mud cake. I decided to combine these flavors, and add a bit of coconut, and came up with the following recipe.

I cannot begin to tell you how delicious this cake tasted. Its just something you will have to try making and tasting yourself 🙂

Nazzy Bakers White Chocolate, Mango and Coconut Mud Cake:

Ingredients:

Cake:

300g White Chocolate buttons

200g salted butter

1 cup of milk

¾ cup caster sugar

2 large eggs lightly beaten

2/3 cup self-raising flour

1 cup plain flour

½ cup of desiccated coconut / 1tsp coconut essence

Filling:

1 kg Frozen Mango cubes

½ cup sugar

½ cup water

Ganache:

675g white chocolate buttons

225g cream

 

Method:

  • Ganache: Heat the cream in the microwave for 1 minute, add the chocolate buttons and heat in short bursts until the chocolate and cream are well combined. Leave the ganache to cool.
  • Filling: Add Mango, sugar and water to a saucepan, and cook until the water evaporates. Blitz the mango mixture to a smooth thick mixture.
  • Cake: Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Grease and line cake pan with cake release spray and baking paper. Place chocolate, butter, milk and sugar into a saucepan and stir on low heat continuously until well combined and smooth. Allow the mixture to cool. When cooled, add the coconut essence and eggs and stir until combined.  Sift the flours into a large bowl, and then add the chocolate mixture in, one cup at a time, mixing well between additions. Once all the ingredients are combined and mixed well, pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until cooked.  Allow the cake to cool.
  • Assembly: Slice the cake in half, and pipe a border around the edge of the cake with ganache. Fill the center with the mango filling. Stack the next layer of cake on top. Cover the sides and top of the cake with a layer of ganache, and smooth it with a palette knife if you wish to cover the cake with fondant.

I hope you have enjoyed this post:) If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me on Facebook messenger, or by email : nazzybaker@gmail.com

Don’t forget to like and share this idea with anyone that you think would enjoy it!

xx NaZzYbAkEr xx