Chewy oatmeal raisin cookies

When I think of an oatmeal cookie, one that is crispy on the outside but soft and chewy in the middle and studded with plump raisins comes to mind. Oatmeal cookies are a timeless classic, and to me, somewhat comforting. It kinda reminds me of home.

These cookies with their chewy texture, warm blend of nutty oats and spices make them a favourite among many. The dash of cinnamon and pinch of nutmeg create a delicious depth of flavour and intense aroma as the cookies bake away in the oven. I love the smell of the spiced bakes that fills my kitchen! Old-fashioned rolled oats were used in this recipe for a heartier and thicker homemade goodness.

These cookies are good for any time of the year, though the pleasant aroma hits me with a holiday-season-cookie feel.

It's almost Christmas once again! Only 42 days to be exact. Counting down to be with family again! Nothing beats that, not even oatmeal cookies. But they do make me feel a littleeee better. ^^

My lovely November blooms! <3

What?

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional!)

How?

1. Soak raisins in warm water for 10 minutes to make them plump. (Blot with kitchen towels to dry them before use!)
2. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well blended.
4. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture until combined.
5. Gently stir in the oats and plumped raisins. The dough will be thick and sticky! Chill it for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
6. Shape the dough into rounded balls (about 1 1/2 tbsp each) and place them about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or baking mats. Flatten the dough slightly.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degC until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

"I want to marry you" cookies

Recently, my social media newsfeed page has been constantly flooded with updates of proposals, engagement, and marriages. While scrolling down the page, you'd see pretty bouquets, flashy rings, white gowns and sometimes even lengthy declaration of love and "thanksgiving" speeches (especially on those auspicious weekends!). All these "signs" on social media is actually pretty much indicative of the phase in life where people of my age are supposed to be, if everyone else is taken to be the benchmark.

In the midst of all the fancy-frilly-lovey-dovey, a photo labelled "Marry me cookies" caught my eye.

Did someone bake cookies for a proposal?

Well they say that the best way to someone's heart is through the stomach.

This should be a damn good cookie then.

I found out later that these cookies aren't particularly made for a proposal, but it has been said that they were so good to a point that upon gifting them, love would usually ensue. I, for one, find it most remarkable that these cookies were made all in one pan. In place of creaming the butter and sugar as in most cookie recipes, it was intriguing that this particular one simply melts the butter and sugars in the pan and literally have everything else mixed in after. You get the rich toffee flavour from the dissolved sugar in hot melted butter, crispy outsides with soft centers, and that mysteriously unique cinnamon flavour - all these without the need to wash up extra mixing bowls or a mixer after! I would marry that.

Try these, whether in need for inspiring or eliciting a marriage proposal or not. ;)

What?

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup uncooked rolled oats
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamom
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup chocolate chips

How?

1.  Melt the butter in a saucepan until melted. Remove from the heat.
2.  Stir in the brown sugar and white sugar until incorporated and smooth. Chill in the fridge for 10 min.
3. Remove from the fridge and stir in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla.
4. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix together.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Roll the batter into 1-1/2 inch sized balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Place the baking sheet into the fridge and chill for 30 minutes.
8. Bake the chilled cookies in a preheated oven at 160 degC (325 degF) for 12 to 14 minutes.
9. Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them onto a cooling rack.

Adapated from: Cooking channel

Coconut macaroons

Sometimes I find it difficult to "get the engine started" again after a hiatus of several months. My inactivity in the kitchen has rendered me a little helpless when I had to prepare my own meals again. I found myself lacking when I had to make dinners - this stems from being home long enough to get used to having Mom do all the cooking. As much as I love cooking, I miss that so much!

To address the issue with my cold start, I decided to make something real simple this weekend. As a treat, I made macaroons - with the double O! In contrast with the touchy and high-maintenance French macarons, these double-Os were much easier to make and handle.

In spite of having contrasting temperaments and looking obviously very different from each other, the two cookies are made with a base of egg whites and sugar. However, macaroons do not require the extreme delicacy and painstaking efforts involved in the making of its more elaborate "cousin".

It took no more than 30 minutes to make these coconut-ty goodness with a toasted crunchy outside and soft chewy middle. I'll try adding some dried fruits or/and nuts for a little extra crunch the next time!

What?

• 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

How?

1. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, salt and vanilla extract together until mixture is frothy.
2. Pour in the coconut and stir until evenly moistened.
3. Shape the coconut mixture into small balls of about 1 inch in diameter, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 
4. Bake the coconut balls in a preheated oven at 180degC for 10-15 minutes, until the macaroons are golden.
5. Let the macaroons cool for about 5 minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely. For a more chocolaty flavour, you can drizzle (or simply dip them!) the cooled macaroons with chocolate!

Four-ounces chocolate chip walnut cookies

This is probably one of the largest cookie I have ever made.

This is a "copycat Levain cookie recipe". Levain cookies are affectionately known to be the best cookies in the world to many people living in NYC (and probably to those who don't as well)! Unfortunately for me, this is a "been there, but never done that" and hence I am unable to tell how close these huge-ass cookies get to the real thing...

But nevertheless, these cookies are pretty darn good! And I'm not kidding when I named this a four-ounce cookie. With the diameter of roughly my palm size and height of about an inch, it IS the size of a regular scone.

Crisp on the outside, but super soft and doughy in the middle. Mmm. Best served warm!

What?

• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 115 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 85 g brown sugar
• 50 g caster sugar
• 1 egg, cold and lightly beaten 
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup walnut, coarsely chopped

How?

1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the cold butter with a mixer for about a minute until it comes together in one lump. Add the brown and white sugar and beat until incorporated.
3. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Batter appears lumpy.
4. Gradually add in the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. 
5. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts with a spatula.
6. Divide the dough into about 4 oz. each and roughly shape them into a ball (not too perfectly!). Place the dough balls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them a few inches apart.
7. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to an hour.
8. Bake at 180 degC for about 15-20 minutes, until light golden brown on the top and edges. Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. (But have one while it's still warm!)

Adapted from: Chez CateyLou

Chocolate walnut cookie slab

This is the start to a joyful December. I love this time of the year - the warm, fuzzy feeling as we approach Christmas. It is a merry, joyous and festive season, underlined with tranquility that is so surreal. Then comes New Year (Double celebration! Woohoo!), which gives the end of winter holidays a brand new beginning to look forward to.

This December is a little extra special because I have a special guest.

Who's that, you ask?

”She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child.” 
~ Barbara Alpert

We did many things together this week. We shopped from the city to the outlet, had tea in quaint teapots and tiny tea cups, delighted in cakes and savoury pre-meal snacks, explored the old city streets and touristy sights... I relished every minute we spent together, the heart-to-heart talks and all the silly moments. :) And of course, we have to bake together this holiday!

From what was supposed to be a-dozen-cookies, to a huge slab of cookie on the cookie sheet. Don't ask. It was intentional. :D We reckoned the slab looked like chocolate brittles so we broke it into serving-sized pieces. This turned out to be a cookie that was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

And it was extra tasty when you have someone to share it with.

The best thing about having a sister was that I always had a friend. 

~ Cali Rae Turner

What?

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

How?

1. Mix icing sugar, cocoa, salt and chopped walnuts.
2. Stir in the eggs and vanilla essence until well combined.
3. Pour the batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degC for 15 minutes.
5. Cool completely on a cooling rack before cutting to serve.

Walnut cookies

"Nom nom... I'm having cookies..."

Last week B tempted me with cookies while on Skype. A week later, I baked some for myself. Now I'm just waiting for him to come on-line so I can munch on some too. :p

These are buttery, crumbly cookies with a crunch in every bite. The recipe calls for a 1:1 volumetric portion of chopped walnuts to flour, resulting in a rich nutty flavour of the cookies. I absolutely love walnuts! Replete with omega-3 fatty acids, walnuts are known as the ultimate brain food. They can also keep one in a positive mood and relieve sleeplessness for good measure!

The final step in this recipe involves dipping the cookies into icing sugar. Initially I thought of it as redundant. But ohhh nooo... the eventual outcome was brilliantly delicious! Ipso facto, coating with icing sugar is not optional!

These cookie balls can last up to four days in an airtight container at room temperature...

... but they won't. ;)


What?

• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (about 113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups icing sugar, for coating

How?

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and side aside.
2. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, brown sugar and walnuts together.
3. Add the vanilla extract to the mixture and give it a stir.
4. Work the butter into the mixture with your hands until a crumbly, coarse mixture is achieved,
5. Using your hands, press and shape a handful of dough into balls and place them onto the prepared baking sheet. The balls do not have to be spaced far apart as they do not rise or spread in the oven.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 degC for 25 minutes until the cookies are slightly browned.
7. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool before coating the in icing sugar.

Adapted from: Joy the Baker

Chocolate & vanilla swirl cookies

Pain demands to be felt.

On my *longest* flight home, I watched one of my favourite movies on the in-flight entertainment.

“'Without pain, how could we know joy?' This is an old argument in the field of thinking about suffering and its stupidity and lack of sophistication could be plumbed for centuries but suffice it to say that the existence of broccoli does not, in any way, affect the taste of chocolate.” 

“There are infinite numbers between 0 and 1. There's .1 and .12 and .112 and an infinite collection of others. Of course, there is a bigger infinite set of numbers between 0 and 2, or between 0 and a million. Some infinities are bigger than other infinities. A writer we used to like taught us that. There are days, many of them, when I resent the size of my unbounded set. I want more numbers than I'm likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful.” 

― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

There is nothing more stress-relieving than having some me-time in the kitchen with my hands kept busy and mind distracted. I love the aroma of baked cookies emitting from the oven, it is like therapy to the tired soul and mind. The blast of hot air that gushes out when I open the oven seems to whiff away with it all the nonsensical troubled thoughts and helplessness - albeit for just a moment, but nevertheless, very very mollifying.

I don't know what it means to be mentally prepared. I only know I am not prepared, and I never will be prepared enough for loss. The brevity of life and the unpredictable unexpected scares me. Fear and pain is so real. 

He is a man of few words. Many know him as someone who is strict and stern - "a grumpy old man" may sometimes be an apt description. He is quiet, usually, and often sits in his room, listening to his radio. He doesn't seem to be the sociable sort unlike grandma, and to many he may be difficult to hold a conversation with. But my grandpa is more that all that. He is and always will be my loving and affectionate grandpa.  When I was young, he would always put me on his lap and rock me to sleep with that self-composed tune of  "London bridge is falling down". He is tall and lanky, but very strong and healthy. I had to run to keep up with his walking pace. We visited the market every early morning and the uncle who tended to the vegetable stall would always ask, “你的孙女啊？” And he would reply “是咯，我的孙。我们来买菜。” Before we headed home, he would bring me to that heavenly candy shop where I could pick any and every gummy and candy I wanted. I loved that. Satisfied and happy, we would then head back home, hand-in-hand (really, it is much easier to keep up with him that way). When it was time for my afternoon nap, grandma would prepare my afternoon milk bottle and send me to bed together with my grandpa who took his daily siesta. Sometimes I would keep talking and to make me keep quiet and try to get me to sleep, he would make cat noises (meowing and scratching sounds) to "scare" me enough to shut me up. I have no idea why and how that worked, but it did. In the evenings, grandma would bathe me and grandpa would do the powdering and dressing up. He dried my hair with the towel and powder-puffed my neck and arms. Grandpa loves sweet desserts. When I was older, I would go over with ice cream and gramps and I would enjoy having it together. Grandma always said he was like a little kid, still loving ice cream at that age. I would ask him as always “好不好吃？” and his classic reply, “好吃，怎么不好吃？”  These and all the other little moments we had, I will never forget.

How does one prepare for loss? I know I can't prepare enough.

I wished he could have a cookie. I made cookies.

Danish butter cookies

Again it has been some time since I last baked. It's kinda ironical; the more you think you need a break, the harder it is to find time for it.

These are danish butter cookies, piped - better with the 1M tip than the rose tip.  Dad requested for raisins in them after I was done with half the batter. *frown*

Because these cookies are piped, I couldn't think of a better way to incorporate raisins in the cookies than to sprinkle raisins on the tray, then pipe the batter directly onto them. Really, it isn't as messy as it sounds. You just can't SEE raisins cos they're all hidden at the bottom.

Baking makes a happier night. And timely too, for the lunar new year. Some for the family, and people who made a difference during this crazy busy time. (: