Chocolate Biscotti and Earl Grey Cupcake

Happy new year!
Since I'll go to my aunt's home this new year's eve, I prepare some desserts for them.
The chocolate biscotti is adapted from David Lebovitz's chocolate biscotti recipes and the Earl Grey Chiffon is adapted from 歡迎進入 grace 西點紅茶時間.


I've planned to make David's Marjolaine which is in the book "Ready for Dessert". I've done most of works, making meringue and praline, however, my homemade creme fraiche didn't get thick enough, and I didn't have time make it again, I decided to make my second choice instead.


I'm glad I made this Earl Grey chiffon. It is fantastic! I was worried it would taste like some Christmas treats because the ingredients are involved cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg powder. I am a big fan of these spices but I've already had them the whole December. The result was out of my expect! The smell is not like the same old way the Earl Grey does and you won't notice there are cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. The only thing you know is that it is incredibly savoury. I stuffed the cake with the custard which is made by the egg yolks left from making Marjolain. Super.






I also made the whole wheat bagel. I have to admit that they are not as good as they look. I added extra flour that the recipe calls for because of the fresh blueberries...Anyway, I don't want to talk about it.

Happy new year again.

Savarin-Like Mini-Elisen Lebkuchen

These days are cold, the heavy rain and wind make me feel freezing. It reminds me of Christmas and my sweet tooth, I need some calories to get over this harsh weather. Suddenly, I have a serious craving for Nuernberger Lebkuchen. Since it's impossiple to buy mini-elisen lebkuchen here at this moment, the only thing I could do is to find a good recipe and make it on my own.

With the same batter, I poured some part of it onto a baking sheet, and poured into savarin mold for the rest of it. My batter is a bit over running so the cookies that on the baking sheet came out very flat and crispy, however, the savarin-like cookies are soft and chewy with "crispy bottom". The savarin-like lebkuchen totally fit my appetite, they are rich in flavor and I enjoyed every bite with gummy candied orange peel!

This recipe is quite good, but I think it would be perfect if I cut some sugar off and add some chopped nuts the powdered sugar glaze next time!






Elisen Lebkuchen (adapted from here)
Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 60 g brown sugar
- the grated rind of 1 lemon
- 20 g chopped orange peel
- 1/4 tbsp. rum
- 1/2 tsp. lebkuchen spice
- 50 g almond flour
- 25 g hazelnut flour

Rugelach

I've planned to make Rugelach from long time ago, but I was in the right moon to make and eat it until yesterday. The cookies have rich flavor, and you can make lots of variations via changing the filling. I made three kinds of filling, chocolate & almond, peanut butter & jelly, and the traditional kind which with cinnamon, walnuts and raisins. I used the racipe that the cream cheese dough have no sugar in it, so it tasted only a hint of sweetness and I just can't stop from eating them....


Ingredients:

for cream cheese dough:
- 4 once cream cheese
- 70g butter
- 30g sour cream
- 165 g AP flour
- 1/8 t salt

Almond Ball

Christmas is coming, it is the right time to have cookies!!!


I've visited Solvang this summer, there are two things keep in my mind - abelskiver and almond horn. Recently, I tried to find the recipes to fulfill my desire of eating them. For almond horn, I found the recipe from LovenBake.com, I'm not sure that if they are the same thing, but someone claim that "You Haven't Lived Until You Try One of These!". Thus, I decide to give it try.

However, I made some mistakes....I use twice as much as egg than the original recipe and reduce the sugar. The dough became more batter-like, so I use lots of sliced natural almonds in order to form a ball and bake under 375º F degrees for 15~18 minutes. The result is still great! These cookies are not as hard as the almond horn I've eaten, but they still have crispy outside and chewy inside. I dipped them into Trader Joe's 72 % bittersweet chocolate and it makes them not too sweet. They just totally fit my appetite.

Ingredients:

For the cookies

- 150 g almond paste
- 50 g sugar
- 1 whole egg
- enough sliced natural almonds to form a ball

For the glaze

- apricot jam
- 72 % bittersweet chocolate

Directions:
1.Using food processor to blend almond paste and sugar, and then add egg, Gradually add the egg to create a smooth paste. Mix until well blended.
2.Spread sliced natural almonds on silicon sheet, pour the batter onto the almond and then "knead" it lightly a few times by spatula. Use hand to divide it into several pieces and form into balls.
3. Bake under 375º F degrees for 15~18 minutes.
4.Then microwave the apricot jam. When the cookies come out the oven, brush the apricot jam.
5. Dip them into melted chocolate.