Almond and raspberry jam drops

Ingredients:

8oz butter, softened

5oz caster sugar

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

2 tsp almond extract

10oz plain flour

Pinch of salt

2oz almonds (I used ground)

Raspberry jam

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Line your baking sheets with baking paper.

Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg yolk and almond extract.

Sift together the flour and salt into the mixture, add the almonds and stir until thoroughly combined.

Scoop out tablespoons of the mixture and shape into balls with your hands, then place them on the baking sheets, spaced well apart.

Use the dampened handle of a wooden spoon to make a hollow in the centre of each cookie and fill with raspberry jam.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes and then transfer  to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate-dipped Viennese Fingers

Ingredients:

3 1/2oz butter, plus extra for greasing

1 oz caster sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

3 1/2oz self-raising flour

3 1/2oz plain chocolate

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F. Grease two large baking sheets.

Place the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl abd beat together until light and fluffy.

Stir in the flour, mixing evenly to make a fairly stiff dough.

Place the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle and pipe fingers about 2 ½” long onto the baking sheet.

Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until pale golden.

Leave to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat until melted.

Remove from the heat.

Dip the end of each biscuit into the chocolate to coat, then place on a sheet of baking paper and leave to set.

Totally Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this yummy recipe on Nigella Lawson's website! These are incredibly lovely!!

Ingredients:

125g dark chocolate
150g flour
30g cocoa
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
125g soft butter
75g light brown sugar
50g white sugar (I used caster)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg (cold from the fridge)
350g chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 170C.

Melt the dark chocolate.

Put the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugars in another bowl. Add the melted chocolate and mix together.

Beat in vanilla extract and egg and then mix in dry ingredients.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop out equal sized mounds and place on lined backing sheets about. Leave plenty of space between each mound.

Do not flatten.

Cook for about 18 mins - I needed less time as I have a fan oven - about 12-15 minutes.

Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Coconut Macaroons

These are delicious!

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites
4oz caster sugar
5 1/2oz shredded coconut ( Instead of using 5 1/2oz coconut, I used 3oz and added 2 1/2oz ground almonds)
Some jam


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line your baking sheets.

Please the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk until soft peaks form and they hold their shape, but are not dry. I used the whisk attachment on my electric mixer for this. Whisking them really well makes these macaroons so light and lovely!

Add the sugar to the egg whites and using a large metal spoon, fold in until incorporated.


Add the coconut and almonds and fold into the mixture.

Place heaped tablespoons of the mixture onto the baking sheet. Using your finger make a small hole in the centre of the macaroon.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the edges.

Leave on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes and then transfer the macaroons to a wire rack to cool completely.

Liquify some jam in the microwave in 10 second intervals and when the macaroons have cooled, spoon some of the liquid jam into the centre and leave to cool.

Christmas Backgrounds & Overlays

I found this book of cardstock that I bought last year. I decided to scan the different pages and share them with you all. I didn't create these and am not claiming to have done so. However, I thought some of my photographer friends might find them useful as backgrounds, overlays, maybe even one or two could be used as textures!!

I have these in a zipped folder, but I can't figure out to upload it to the web, so if someone could please help me out that would be great!!

Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Very yummy!!

Ingredients:

4 oz butter, softened

4 ½ oz caster sugar

4 ½ oz soft light brown sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

10 oz plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

10 ½ oz chocolate chunks

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and prepare your baking sheets.

Place the butter and sugars in a large bowl and whisk together until pale and creamy.

Whisk the eggs and vanilla into the mixture until smooth.

Sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda and beat together until well mixed.

Stir in the chocolate chunks.

Drop large spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheets, spacing them well apart.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 mins approx., or until set and golden brown.

Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 2-3 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

The Gooiest Chocolate Cookies

Warning.....these are very delicious!!

Ingredients:

4 oz unsalted butter, softened

9 oz soft brown sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tsp vanilla extract

9 ½ oz plain flour

½ oz cocoa powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

7 oz plain chocolate, chopped

5 ½ oz milk chocolate, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Prepare 2 baking sheets.

Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Place the egg and vanilla in a separate bowl and whisk together, then gradually add to the butter mixture and beat until smooth.

Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt until well combined. Add 3 /12 oz each of the plain and milk chocolates, then mix well.

Spoon heaped tablespoons of the mixture onto the baking sheets spacing them well apart. (I flattened them down slightly). Divide the remaining chocolate among the cookies and press in lightly.

Bake in the oven for about 15 mins. Leave to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 mins and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Melting Moments

These cookies are lovely and really do melt in your mouth!

Ingredients:

12 oz unsalted butter, softened

3 oz icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

10 ½ oz plain flour

1 ¾ oz cornflour

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Get 2 baking sheets ready. 

Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla extract. 

Sift over the flour and cornflour and mix thoroughly.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle and pipe 32 cookies onto each baking sheet (I don’t have a piping bag, so I used a Ziploc bag with one of the bottom corners cut off (very slightly) – worked a charm!! Thanks to my sister Margaret for this great suggestion!

Bake in the oven for about 15 mins, or until golden brown. Leave to cool on the baking sheet.