Holiday Baking Summary

I had an urge to perfect my cookie baking skill over the holiday. I was specifically looking for a recipe for a super thin and crisp cookies that required no rolling dough. Simply due to my laziness, I hate cleaning mess on the table afterward, for that reason, I hardly make pies. Although I'm proud of my pie crust that is layered and flaky. Anyway, maybe someday I'll be making more pies.

So, I did some search on cookie recipes. I couldn't find exactly I was dreaming of.
Here are the cookies I made during the holiday (they are not all vegan, some could be vegan, I think):

1. Buckwheat butter cookies (modified, original recipe and the instruction found at http://orangette.blogspot.com/)

This cookie is super good. I baked twice in two weeks. The original recipe calls for "cocoa nib". I don't know where to get it. So I added some bitter sweet chocolate chips instead for the first time. It was still good but I found it too sweet. So the second round, I left out the chocolate, reduced the sugar, and increased the buckwheat ratio. The taste is more simple, but I like this way better. I'm thinking the next time I bake this, I can even reduce more sugar, probably to 1/3 cup sugar.

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
½ lb. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes

2. Almond Blondie
I was feeling kind of scared how fast my sugar jar was going down because of all the cookies I have been making. The original recipe calls for 1 cup sugar, and I reduced to the half, which was a big mistake. I like the flavor of whatever it turned out, but to be honest, it is far from what blondie is supposed to be, in my opinion.

8 Tbsp Margarine, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 cup sliced almond
1 tsp almond extract

Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes

3. Almond Lace Cookie (Oatflakes - "Havreflarn") http://www.pasht.net/scandinavian/Fav3.html

Now, this one was really fun to bake. I came across to this when I was looking for a thin crisp cookies that I can drop and bake.(no rolling) I followed the recipe carefully this time except that I didn't have "oat flake" so "rolled oats" was replaced, and that I only had a half cup of it, so the recipe was reduced to the half. When it is in the oven, it really spreads fast as it bubbles like crazy. I was glued to the oven, fun to watch. I like the texture and all but find it too sweet. It is almost like caramel. I wonder if there is any way to reduce sugar without affecting the end result...probably there isn't...

1/4 cup melted margarine
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1 Tbsp of flour
1 tsp of baking powder

Bake at 350°F for 6 minutes

4. Swedish Lace Cookies (which I modified so much that it wasn't no longer what it was supposed to be)
But anyhow, I really liked the taste. The cardamon is the key, really a nice touch. I can't even remember how I modified, but I know that since I didn't have bran flakes, I just added 1 cup of flour instead, or something stupid. Oh, also added was 1/4 cup of sliced almond. The cookie turned out flat and a bit soft. I wanted to be flat and crisp...

The original recipe is at http://www.cooksrecipes.com/cookie/swedish_lace_cookies_recipe.html
1/2 cup margarine
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup bran flakes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5. Peanut butter cookies (I can not find any photo of it...)
The original recipe is at http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Oatmeal-Peanut-Butter-Cookies-III/Detail.aspx

This is a good recipe, very easy and quick. The cookies are light and very good, resulting eating too much of them.
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup quick cooking oats

Vegan Jasmine Tea Cupcake

I have eaten Jasmine flavored ice cream long time ago, and if I remember correctly the texture was between ice cream and sorbet. It was extremely delicious. I like jasmine tea served with DimSum, but at home when I make some for myself, I always add some a bit of vanilla added soy milk.

The cake turned out ok, but I'm not too crazy about it. I was expecting more intense Jasmine flavor.
The cake sticks to the paper and does not come out easily. Maybe the tea should be less than half a cup, it seems that it lacks in fat. Maybe more oil to add...The recipe needs a serious improvements!

Cake:
Basic vanilla cake recipe, replacing only the liquid>3/4 cup strongly brewed tea + 1 Tbsp vinegar + milk makes 1 cup
Also added was 1 tsp Orange Blossom water, but the flavor seemed somewhat disappeared...

Icing:
1 Tbsp strongly brewed tea
1 Tbsp flour
5 Tbsp Almond milk (or other milk)
3 Tbsp Vegetarian Shortening
5 Tbsp Powdered sugar
2 tsp crushed Jasmine tea

Cook the first three ingredient over at low heat, constantly mixing. Eventually it becomes like custard cream. Remove from heat and wait to cool down a bit. Add the rest and with an electric mixer, beat until it is hard and creamy.

Vegan White Sesame and Rosewater Strawberry Cupcake with Strawberry Glaze

I love strawberry & rosewater combo. This time with some white sesame seeds to add some rich flavor, but to be honest I'm not sure if it really fits. I think this could go without it. Dried strawberries are added to the dough.

The glaze is made by:
1Tbsp margarine
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp rosewater
2 Tbsp of strawberry syrup (my friend gave me a jar of strawberry jam which was very watery, but delicious)

The pink glaze is girly, and tastes good...

Vegan Black Sesame Cupcake with Vanilla Icing topped with White Chocolate

Very long title...

I made this when I had some friends over for dinner. A day earlier, I stopped for a church bazzar in my neighborhood. This two layered plate thing (thought it was perfect for English afternoon tea themed party) for $2! Wow, cheap. I brought it home and my boyfriend told me this was for a religious ceremony...is that so? in anyhow, the cakes looked very cute.

Vegan Lemon Cupcake with Lemon Tarragon Icing

Tarragon?! It does go well with lemon! Delicious.

Vegan Gluten-Free Chinese Five Spice Cupcake with Crystal Ginger Frosting

This is my first attempt baking gluten-free cupcakes. The dough turned out to be a little thick, but the cake came out of the oven beautifully. The only thing I'm concerned; the unsmooth top! I wonder, should the liquid need to be more, or is it because of the buckwheat flour again? I have baked gluten-free cakes (without buckwheat flour) before and the dough was usually more watery. I will have to readjust this for the future, but anyway, the cake is fluffy and moist, with a little chewy feeling. It is not very sweet and so the sugar could be 1/2 cup or more, instead of 1/3 cup.

*The sponge became much harder the next day. So, this is something to be adjusted for the next time, I don't know how yet...

Cupcake (makes 12):
-dry
3/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
2 Tbsp Arrowroot flour
2 tsp xanthan gum
1/3 cup coco
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp Chinese Five Spice
-wet
1/3 cup sugar
100 ml olive oil (a little less than 1/2 cup)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1Tbsp vinegar + rice milk = 1 1/4 cup

Direction:
preheat the oven at 350 degree.
Place papers.
1. Mix vinegar and milk, leave it aside.
2. Measure all the dry ingredients, mix well, leave it aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil, and vanilla. Beat well with an electric mixer.
4. Slowly introduce the milk mixture into "3". This will be very watery, but keep beating.
5. Add the flour mixture at once, beat well. There is no gluten so no worry for over-beating. The batter will be smooth.
6. Divide the batter into 12, filling about 2/3 each cup. Bake for about 20 minutes.
Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp shortening-room temperature
2 Tbsp margarine-room temperature
roughly 6 crystal ginger (leave 2 for the topping-each cut in 6)
a few drops vanilla essence
1 to 2 Tbsp milk

Direction:
1. Mix shortening and margarine with a fork, add the powdered sugar.
2. Add vanilla. Mix well while introducing a little bit of milk at a time.
3. When it reaches at a nice creamy texture, mix in the chopped crystal ginger.
4. Decorate the cakes when cooled.

Vegan Banana Cupcake with Chocolate Almond Butter Glaze

I was expecting this cake to be more dense and heavy but it turned out to be very very light. I even feel it is rather dry a little.
The buckwheat might have contributed greatly for this light texture. I hardly smell any cardamon, so the next time I will add more of it, or cinnamon could be a good replacement. The batter was very thick, compared to my other ones.

Cupcakes: (makes 12, 350 degree for 18 to 20 minutes)
1 cup flour
2/3 cup buckwheat flour (2 Tbsp tapioca flour)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cardamon

1/3 sugar
1/3 olive oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp almond essence

1 1/2 banana mashed + rice milk + 1 Tbsp vinegar = 1 1/4 cup
1/4 cup dried coconut

Chocolate Glaze:
40 g chocolate
1 Tbsp almond butter
2 tsp shortening
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
a few drops of Vanilla and almond essence

Vegan Orange Cranberry Cupcake with Rum Glaze

Cranberry and Orange combo is my favorite.
This cupcake is very fluffy and moist.
It tastes even better a day later as the dried cranberries becomes more moist.

Cupcakes:(makes 12, 350 degree for 18 to 20 minutes)
1/3 cup almond four
1 1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp vinegar + rice milk = 1 1/4 cup

Grated orange rind (1 orange)
1/4 cup dried cranberry

The rum glaze...

Vegan Strawberry Basil Cupcake

I followed the Basic vanilla vegan cupcake recipe, substituting 1/3 cup with cornmeal, and about half a cup of sliced strawberries & 1 tsp dried basil were added.

Very moist and fluffy. No frosting this time...

Vegan Black Sesame Cupcake with Fake Cheese Frosting with Green Tea

I love black sesame. I'm trying to find what could go well with it, though. I looked some Japanese dessert sites, and there were some with green tea, hmm, maybe they are a good match. There are other recipes with chocolate. That could be good too. I think I just have to do some experiments.


ingredients for the cupcake (makes 12):

1/3 cup black sesame (roughly ground) + flour makes 1 and 2/3 cup
1 tsp Baking Soda and Baking Powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Vinegar + Rice milk makes 1 and 1/4 cup
100 ml oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

direction:
preheat the oven at 350 degree.
Place papers.
1. Mix vinegar and milk, leave it aside.
2. Measure all the dry ingredients, mix well, leave it aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil, vanilla, beat well with an electric mixer.
4. Slowly introduce the milk mixture into "3". This will be very watery, but keep beating.
5. Add the flour mixture at once, beat quickly for about 10 seconds, scrape off the side once and then beat for another 5 seconds. The batter will be smooth.
6. Divide the batter into 12, filling about 2/3 each cup. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes.


The cake turned out to be amazingly soft and fluffy, full of sesame flavor. I like it as it is, this doesn't really need any frosting, in my opinion. But to make it a little fancy, a thin layer of dark or white chocolate might be good...
===
The fake cheese frosting turned out to be somewhat acceptable, but not sure if I like it or not. Definitely the choice of tofu was wrong; I used the hard tofu because that was all I had. The result was too rough. And maybe the lemon should be reduced, or not used at all. I list what I did with it anyway for my own purpose, but this really needs more experiments, so please don't follow the recipe yet...

ingredients for the vegan cheese icing with green tea:
1/4 cup hard tofu
1/2 cup powder sugar
1/4 lard
1 to 2 Tbsp lemon juice (or just plain soy milk might be better)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp green tea/sencha (+ 1/2 tsp matcha)

direction:
Blend tofu with some lemon using a hand blender. Then in a separate bowl, with a fork, mix lard and sugar, slowy adding the tofu mixture until the right consistency.