Pineapple tarts - CNY favourite

Over the past few days, many households have been busy baking cookies for the upcoming Chinese New Year (CNY). I too, nevertheless jump into the Baking Cookies wagon, like an ALL-too-good-to be true , ahem, "homely" wife. I suddenly feel so "domesticated". LOL

Well, so why all these fuss over Pineapple tarts ? Chinese simply loves golden colour which symbolises prosperity. Hence there is abundance of pineapple tarts each Chinese New Year. Some households even have hanging Pineapple decorations at their front doors. I mean real huge ones, some look like lanterns.

Me ?? I settle for money plant.. hehe

Here's some pictures of the baking process :

So after all this lucky pineapple tarts, let's hope for the upcoming Big CNY TOTO draw .. Fatt Ah !!! (WIN) Imagine $$$. Oh let me sleep on this..

Kueh Bangkit - the coconut flavoured cookie

I love Chinese New Year cookies. Never one to miss an opportunity to always grab my hands on those delicious tasty kueh bangkit and pineapple tarts. As a kid, somehow I always make sure I have my fill of cookies when house-visiting relatives and stuff myself silly.

Traditionally , this has cookie has always been white. These can be made in different shapes and sizes. I used different shaped cookie cutters and tried using the princer to make the patterns. Mind you, this requires real patience. I started "princing" away energically for the first few. Somehow along the way, my fingers start to quiver, my eyes losing focus.... well, you know the rest.

I simply the love the coconut fragrance especially when freshly baked..

I have obtained the recipe from Aunty Yochana's Kueh Bangkit, but modified a bit to suit my needs. So don't miss out in baking this CNY cookie !

Esctasy over Macarons

Don't they look like rainbow ?!! Where's my pot of gold !

I have the very fortunate opportunity to attend Aunty Yochana's Macarons class recently. It's one of those amazing days to get to see an expert Aunty cooking up a storm on the macarons.

If you have tried making macarons, you know it's not an easy feat to get the "feets" up. Of course there were a few ladies jokes as to why macarons feets sometimes show and sometimes don't show. Hahaha.. blame it on the weather , blame-the-maid or the m**thly thingy.

Imagine these lovely macarons which originates from the land of Paris arriving at our very door-steps. Classy and chic ... so lovely to look at . How could anyone bear to gorge down these refined biscuits. Hmm...

Oh well, let me share with you all the nice macarons photos taken. You are welcome to drool all you want. Drooling is free. Here goes..brace yourself for the deliciously sweet yummy ones..

Look at the arrays of colours.. aren't they magical ? !!!

The Rock of foundation.. so cool

The Kissables..

The Leaning Tower of Macarons

Just when you think all is over, there is ..

The Avalanche of Macarons

EVER WISH it never ENDS ... I do !

Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

I simply love chocolate too much to let go of this Chocolate Chip Cookies. This is something I did over the last weekend to distract me from the PSLE nightmare. The Mummy's bad hair the week before and the one yet to come. ** Hair and bad nails week ** Hope no one detects the shorter than ever nails. ;-P

Good for you folks.. this means the more dishevelled I am, the more inspired I get **LOL **

Hitherto, I embarked feverishly onto working my hands on the Chocolate Chip Cookies. It's kind of mental de-stress therapy for me every time I bake which ensures that I do not get onto my elder son Vin's nerves.. Well that's another story.. some other time.

Back to this, it's either make or break. The last time I tried making the Chocolate Chip Cookies, it fell flat literally onto the baking tray * splat *, with what looks more like a cake dough spread across the baking tray. I realise my mistake liao..

"Genuis" makes mistake too, haha ** wink **

Mistakes to Avoid having a flat cookie

1. No overcrowding of the dough on the Baking Tray, leave at least a 2 inch space between each dough as the latter expands at least 3 times it's size.

2. Make sure the oven heat is well heated accordingly

Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

What you need

1. 280g flour

1. 150g sugar

2. 160g brown sugar

3. 220g butter

4. 2 eggs

5. 3 tsps of vanilla extract (to get the nice smell !)

6. 1 tsp baking soda

7. half tsp salt

8. 500ml of chocolate chips (put more if you like it more chocolaty)

9. Walnuts - break into smaller pieces, make it coarse-like sugar

(choice of macademia, hazel, peccans as well)

How to do

1. Preheat oven to 190 C

2. Rub in the butter until the mixture resamebls coarse breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar. Add in the egg, flour, baking soda and salt. Use the spatula or cake mixer to combine the mixture until it looks like a light dough.

The reason why my choice of Walnut, simply because these are the left overs, after making the Walnut Mooncakes during the Mooncake festive season. Rather than having to munch them separately, I have added this into the cookie as well - the Mummy's version of reuse, recycle, reduce..

The 4 dozens cookies lasted only for 2 days !

Behold... next week , more cooking talent unleashed as your Cooking Mummy gets right smack into the PSLE tension ! Hmm.. what's next