Chocolate Stuffed Sugar Cookies

Guess what. I'm getting back into it. Baking and blogging that is. My mood to photograph and write ebbs and flows. That doesn't mean I haven't been checking out recipes and baking - see my Instagram for evidence.

One of the recipes that I've been wanted to try is a sugar cookie recipe. You might think it's boring, but there's something about a no-frills cookie that I like. It can't hide from fancy add-ins and flavours. It's all about texture and the balance of sugar and salt. Like a butter cookie (which by the way, is my favorite cookie). But just in case a basic sugar cookie is too boring for you, here's a version with ganache.

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Ready to form back into a ball.

Ready for baking. No need to press down.

Chocolate Stuffed Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookie base recipe from Brave Tart

Ingredients

1 cup butter, cold

1 ½ cups of sugar

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch of nutmeg (freshly grated if available)

1 large egg, cold

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 ¼ cup all purpose flour

Ganache

40 grams dark chocolate, chopped

52 grams cream

½ cup of cane or muscovado sugar

Directions

1. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg until fluffy (5 min).

2. Scrape down the sides, add egg and vanilla, and beat for another 2 minutes.

3. Scrape down the sides and add flour. Mix on the lowest speed until combined (no more than 30 seconds).

4. Put your dough in the fridge while you make the ganache.

At this point, you can pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment.

5. Put the chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. In a microwave safe cup, microwave cream in 10 second intervals until steaming. Swirl between rounds.

6. Pour cream onto chocolate and let sit for a couple minutes. Stir to combine starting from the middle going outwards. Once smooth, let it sit in the fridge until cool.

7. Scoop out 2 Tablespoon portions of dough and form a ball. Make a deep indent in the ball with your thumb, insert a small dollop of ganache (~½ teaspoon), and patch up the hole with dough from the sides and bottom of the ball. Roll in your hands to re-form a ball.

8. Roll dough in sugar. Place 5 on a baking sheet and bake for 14 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing.

Makes about 26 cookies.

Verdict: Crispy edges, chewy centers. Delic! I made a couple without the chocolate and sugar on the outside and they were still really good. Not boring - classic, OG.

Various Winter Bakings

Here are some things that I've been baking this winter. No recipes here but I thought it might be nice to show you some photos. I really need a professional light for taking photos. Short days mean short time periods of when I can photograph, and in dark and rainy Vancouver, the light that is available isn't great. This winter, I didn't even bother trying to catch the light, thus these photos. Oh well.

Let's start with a birthday cake with blueberry jam. I just love those colours.

Next is a Winter Wonderland cake that I made for a potluck. A chocolate cake with vanilla swiss meringue buttercream. Pretty simple and it's all in the decor!

Next is the World's Best Cake, which was a disaster, but which I managed to salvage. The final product is layers of angel food cake, whipped cream, and meringues with slivered almonds.

Next is a dairy free birthday cake. Chocolate cake with meringue frosting. Fluufffyyyy!

And finally, a pretzel cake from Christina Tosi (Milk Bar). Interesting flavours for sure - pretzel, honey frosting, and ganache. A grown up cake for 3 grownups' birthdays.

That's all for now. I'll be here hoping for better weather and lighting.

Various Summer Bakings

Want to know what's been happening in the kitchen? Check these out!

First up, shoe cupcakes. These were for my boss who loves shoes - I think some of us can relate. I've seen these made with Milano cookies but I made the cookies myself and attached Cadbury Fingers.

There was also these eye shadow palette cookies for a makeup themed bridal shower. This was the first time I decorated cookies with royal icing. Definitely need more practice - whoa these took time to decorate.

And finally, these cupcakes and cake for a birthday party. The cake was Neapolitan (vanilla and chocolate cake layers with strawberry swiss meringue frosting in the middle). Did you know that you can get images printed on rice paper at the grocery store? So awesome!

Check out the birthday girl :)

Strawberry Cheesecake Cake

This one’s been in the blog bank for a while - since Mother’s Day to be exact. I wanted to bring a cake to a family potluck for mother’s day. The Huz’s family has 5 aunts (and one uncle) so they like to celebrate Mother’s Day together. Instead of bringing a cheesecake, why not make a cake that plays on a cheesecake? I’m really into desserts that are like other desserts (e.g., a cake that’s a take on a pie, an ice cream that tastes like birthday cake, a doughnut that tastes like root beer, etc). It’s confusing and awesome.

This cake has many components, so I premade the cake layers and froze them and kept the graham crunch in an airtight container until assembly day.

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Graham Crunch

adapted from Milk Bar Cookbook

Ingredients

¾ cup graham crumbs

2 Tablespoons milk powder

1 Tablespoon sugar

pinch of salt

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Toss graham crumbs, milk powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl to combine.
3. Pour in butter and cream and toss to combine.
4. Spread on a baking sheet and break apart large chunks. Bake for 25 minutes tossing halfway through.
5. Cool completely. Break apart and big pieces. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Vanilla Cake

From Anna Olson.

Baked in 3, 6-inch cake pans. 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

If the cakes dome, cut off to make them flat (and you can eat the best part of the cake!)

Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients

¼ cup butter, softened

½ cup cream cheese, softened

½ teaspoon lemon juice

½ cup icing sugar

3 Tablespoons strawberry jam

pinch of salt

Directions

1. Beat butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer to combine.
2. Add lemon juice, icing sugar, jam, and salt and beat until fluffy.

Cream Cheese Marshmallow Frosting

Ingredients

½ cup cream cheese, room temperature

1 ¼ cup butter, room temperature

1 cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 jar marshmallow cream

pinch of salt

pink food colouring

Directions

1. Beat cream cheese and butter together with a stand mixer (paddle attachment) to combine. Add icing sugar and vanilla and beat to combine.
2. Add marshmallow cream and salt and beat to combine.
3. For an ombre decorating effect, colour ⅓ of the frosting with a dark pink and the remaining ⅔ light pink (less food colouring).

*note that this frosting won’t be completely smooth - it’ll look a little bit curdled. I know, not ideal for a frosting, but it does taste great.

Assembly

Components

1. 1 cup thinly sliced strawberries
2. Vanilla cake layers
3. Strawberry jam
4. Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling
5. Cream Cheese Marshmallow Frosting

1. Smear a small dollop of strawberry cream cheese filling on you cake plate or cake board. Ideally, use a turntable for easier decorating. Place the first layer of cake on top.
2. Spread strawberry jam. Top with strawberry slices.
3. Spread the strawberry cream cheese filling and sprinkle the graham crumbs on top.
4. Place next cake layer and repeat. Finish with the final layer.
5. Frost the entire cake with the light pink cream cheese marshmallow frosting. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.
6. Spread the dark pink frosting on the bottom ⅓ of the cake. Smooth out with a large spatula, blending the line between the two colours as you twirl the cake around.
7. Add graham crumbs along the bottom. Decorate to your liking. Keep in the fridge until an hour before serving.

Verdict: I really liked the flavours of this cake - really reminiscent of a strawberry cheesecake. The crunch of the graham crumbs on the outside gave the cake an interesting texture. Too bad that the graham inside the cake turned soft. It was definitely a crowd pleaser!