Kerstkransjes - Wicked Wednesday

Today my children's school celebrated Harmony day.  Harmony day is a highlight of the school year and is a day to recognise and celebrate cultural diversity.  

A key part of this day is a special class lunch where the children each bring a dish that best represents their culture.  For our children they drew from my husbands family line (Dutch) and we've made some delightful cookies.  They are actually Christmas Wreath Cookies or Kerstkransjes.   We've made these a few times now, they are easy to make and loved by the children and teachers.

So this week is not so wicked, but a good harmony day option if you have a Dutch heritage.

Enjoy.

Kerstkransjes - Dutch Christmas Wreath Cookies

Recipe:

Ingredients:  Makes over 30

• 160 g Butter (softened)
• 2/3 cups Sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 cups plain flour (shifted)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Glace Cherries
• Almond Slivers
• 1/4 cup milk

Method

1. Pre heat oven to 180 c.
2. Cream the butter and sugar.
3. Add the lemon zest and egg.
4. Slowly add the flour and baking powder.
5. Mix until well combined and lightly knead.
6. Wrap in cling wrap and leave in the fridge for 1 hour.
7. Roll out segments approx. 5 ml thick.
8. Cut out cookies using a wreath shaped cookie cutter.
9. Decorate with a glace cherry (I cut the cherries in half first) and Almond slivers
10. Brush with the milk.
11. Bake on a tray lined with baking paper for 10 - 15 minutes.
12. Enjoy.

Chocolate CupCakes - Wicked Wednesday

Another week has passed and another wicked treat has been served.  This week we've made really easy and very tasty Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Butter Cream icing.

These are light in texture for a Chocolate Cupcake but they have a bit flavour punch.  The best part of this recipe is it's simplicity, while it does have a few ingredients, it has very few steps.

These cupcakes would be equally good for an afternoon treat, children's party or formal Afternoon tea.  My batch has been well enjoyed by all.

Enjoy

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream icing

Recipe:

Ingredients:  Makes 24

Cupcakes

• 2 Cups Sugar
• 1 3/4 Cups plain flour
• 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable Oil
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Bicarb soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup boiling water

Chocolate Buttercream icing

• 125g butter, softened
• 2/3 cup Cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 cups icing sugar (Sifted)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

Cupcakes

1. Pre heat oven to 180 c.
2. Prepare 2 x 12 muffin pans with cupcake papers. 
3. Place everything except the boiling water in a bowl and mix well.
4. Add the boiling water and stir through (The mixture should be more liquid than a standard cake batter).
5. Divide the mixture equally between the muffin pans. 
6. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes.

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

1. Beat the butter until pale.
2. Add the cocoa powder and mix well.
3. Add the icing sugar and milk and mix well.
4. stir in the vanilla essence.
5. Pipe onto cupcakes with a large pipping nozzle..
6. enjoy.

Saint Patrick's day cocktail - Grasshopper

Today is Saint Patrick's day, the day to celebrate all things Irish and partake in a small drink or two, that are traditionally green.

This Saint Patrick's Day I'm going with the grasshopper, a creamy mint drink that is easily consumed, well maybe a little too easy!

Enjoy

Grasshopper - Cocktail

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce creme de menthe
• 1 ounce white creme de cacao
• 1 ounce thin cream
• Ice
• Strawberry to garnish

Method

1. Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.  
2. Shake well and pour through a strainer.
3. Enjoy

Saint Patrick's Day Choc Chip Cookies - Wicked Wednesday

Well, we've reached another Wednesday and less than a week to Saint Patrick's Day.

I must admit that when I think about Saint Patrick's Day the first thing that comes to mind is a pint of Guineas, straight from the tap in a good old Irish Pub.  sigh!.

In the absence of Guineas, I've turned to chocolate and made some simple choc chip cookies with green m&m's.  These little treats are a simple and easy way to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day.  With the remaining yellow m&m's I've created a pot of gold that should help me catch any leprechauns that are hiding in my garden.

Enjoy

Saint Patrick's Day Choc Chip Cookies

Recipe:

Ingredients:  Makes 25

• 125 g Butter (softened)
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 cups self raising flour
• 3/4 cup m&m's (green) - Buy at least a 200g packet of m&m's

Method

1. Pre heat oven to 160 c.
2. Cream the butter and sugar's.
3. Add egg and vanilla essence.
4. Fold in flour and green m&m's.
5. Place teaspoons of mixture on a baking tray lined with Baking Paper.
6. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes.
7. enjoy

Rose Scented Pink Meringues - Wicked Wednesday

For this weeks wicked Wednesday I've made some delightful Rose Scented Pink Meringues.  The rose scent and subtle rose flavour is achieved with rose water, which you can find at Middle Eastern speciality shops and some supermarkets.  These dainty treats can be served for a formal Afternoon Tea or birthday, a special treat for the children or add whipped cream and serve as a dessert. 

The addition of the rose water makes these meringues hard on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside, needless the say this batch has been consumed.

Enjoy. 

Rose Scented Pink Meringues

Recipe:  Makes 14

Ingredients:  

• 4 eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 cup caster sugar
• pink food colouring
• 2 teaspoons Rose Water (available at Middle Eastern food shops - or some supermarkets)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 100c.
2. Using two baking trays and baking paper, mark  14 7 cm circles.
3. Separate the eggs, and beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
4. Gradually add the caster sugar and beat until dissolved.
5. Add a very small amount of pink food colour and fold through - adjust the colour if required.
6. Fold through the rose water.
7. Spoon the mixture into the circles and slightly press down in the centre.
8. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, turn off the oven and leave the meringues to cool down with the door slightly ajar..
9. Enjoy