Cinnamon and Rum Raisin Cookies

I needed snack. So I made cookies.

Crispy and crunchy with chewy raisins that stick in between your teeth. I personally love that.

This cookie is not overly sweet, letting the rum soaked raisins stand out. And did i mention that this will turn your house into a cookie land? Oh yeees, cooooooookiee land... say it... come oon, saaay it.. 

Coooooo-keeeeeey Laaaaaand

Cinnamon and Rum Raisin Cookies 

(adapted from BakerBettie)

Oatmeal and Spiced Rum Raisin Cookies w/Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs, rm temp
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups raisins
rum
Place raisins in a small bowl and pour in enough spiced rum to cover them.  Let them soak overnight.  Strain them before adding to the cookie dough. You can also use, whiskey/bourbon, red wine, or fruit juice.  The liquid allows the raisins to plump up and gives them a different flavor. 
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  With the mixer still on, add the eggs one at a time.  Add the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl as needed.  Fold in the oatmeal and raisins.  Use a large scoop and put rounded mounds of dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment or foil.  Bake in a 374 degree oven for 11-14 minutes, until the edges are slightly browned.  Slide the cookies off the cookie sheet as soon as they come out of the oven to cool.

I am awesome (?). So I got an award.

Jokes aside, thank you to While He Was Out for awarding me this blog award. I have extreme fun replying and writing comments to her. She is what I like to call yes-m'am-you're-an-awesome-individual. And although I got jealous of her all the time, a fair amount is always healthy...

Rules to this award:
1. Thank the person who nominates you and link back to them in your post
2. Share 7 facts about yourself
3. Pass the award on to 15 more bloggers that you enjoy
4. Contact the people you have nominated


You can find my 7 facts in this post. One other fact the Mr has noticed is: I'm A-ball-of-contradiction.

And for the 15 bloggers, I'll do a 7+1 instead. These are blogs I've recently encountered and they amaze me.

1. Jessica @ She Bakes Here: Because her name is Jessica! I kid I kid... Jessica's desserts really make you think what you can do with your recipes! I mean, you'd think there's only so much muffins (or cookies, ohh her cookies... -drools) until you've seen her website.

2. Mrs F @ The Cheekiest Monkey of All: No! Hold that thought! Mrs F is the cheekiest monkey! One exchange of comments and you know she's nice to be around!! And just so you know, her pictures (kick pebbles) are. so. good. great. excellent. sigh :')

3. Kristina @ Spabettie: hee hee. I love the name "Spabettie". -eherm She's very pretty. Gawd, what's wrong with me?! Oh right, her cakes and bars must be making me giddy.

4. Laura @ Laura Loves Cakes: Look, girl, I'm still trying to figure out how to do that Hazelnut caramel whisps thingy! And not to forget how you make everything look so purty!!

5. Antonina @ Dulcegarii culinare: Although I don't understand her posts and Google Translator worsens everything, I look at her pictures as an inspiration.. Just like a plain canvas painted by the artist, her pictures look complete.

6. Elizabeth @ Sugar Hero: Oh...mother...of... (enough said)

7. Yudith @ Blissfully Delicious: Yudith, you are amazing! I would like to thank you for being awesome and for the many many goodies you treat my eyes with. Although it never reaches my palate, but for now, (until technology advances) I'll be satisfied with just watching.

+1. Tara @ Butter Dish: Tara, my dear, I await for your return! :)

Most of you might think "Hey, I'm awesome and stuff, why the award?!" Well, I'd like to think that this is a chance for a fan like me to express my thoughts ;)

Cookie Monster (rawr),

Jes

Soft Garlic Breadstick - Pizza Hut look alike.

She 1: "There are famous frogs, no famous wells!"

She 2: "There are famous Wishing wells"

She 1: "See, people find wells when they need something!"

Me: "People find frogs to dissect (smirks)"

This was how my day begun. Frogs versus wells.

These girls were a different experience from my original habitat. Because of them, I learned how to be a girl. Sharing salads, going jelly when faced with BIG RED "50%", binge eating on mini cupcakes, comment each others' make up, advise each others' haircuts and of course, taking ridiculous amounts of pictures. 

She 1: "Frogs pee in the well!"

Me: "Wells hold their bladders!"

She 1: "Frogs produce tadpoles and will all pee in the well!"

Me: "... Stop peeing already!!"

That was how the discussion ended.Now that we are in different parts of the world, to all our nonsensical moments, we shall give a toast. 

Onto these breadsticks, crazy good! Its a one-hand snack, easy to make, easy to re-heat and compatible with almost anything. You can pretty them up by cutting different shapes or use different herbs All I'm saying is, this is the basic of basics.

Chicken Pot Pie with Homemade Puff Pastry

I remember the first time I've had Corica Apple Strudel. I've had just begun watching Jamie Oliver, barely starting out with french toasts and grilled prawns. I was 12, I had no oven, I had no cookbooks, I had no one to show me what baking is all about. 

However, the moment I ate that piece of Apple Strudel (along with other baked-goods such as, quiche lorraine, croissant, baguettes, brownies, etc), I've always had that one epiphany. I wanted to learn how to bake. I wanted to learn more about western baking. 

There are many many wonderful cakes from where I am in Indonesia. The richness of coconut milk, dark red sugar, thousands of herbs i can never remember and many more. However, I was never particularly interested in how they were made. 

Then, internet became available. I learn about puff, shortcrust, filo, choux. I was in my cadbury island. Unimaginable light came into my eyes. Finally, my birthday present of an oven arrived and soon enough, batches of cookies and snacks were produced, failed cakes and burnt smells too. 

That old piece of oven is still with me today. My source of relaxation, satisfaction and appreciation comes from this small piece of an oldie. And today, I have once again decided to encounter my fears and my To-do-list. Puff Pastry.

This pastry was harder on my mind than on the bench. Honestly, I wouldn't have worried as much. As long as you follow the steps. The recipe I've used is by Pastry chef online for it's detailed instructions and notes.

Notes:

1. The better the butter, the tastier and puffier the pastry will be. Look for a higher fat content.

2. It is easier to roll the dough and butter together when they have the same consistency. (Chill whichever is softer.)

3. Keep a fair amount of flour at arms reach while working on the bench. You need to constantly flour the surface and touch up on broken layers.

4. When cutting the dough, be sure to cut straight and minimize twisting. This will limit sticking of layers.

5. Chill cut piece in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking.

6. Placing a sheet of parchment paper on top of the pastry will give an even rise.

7. Be sparing with egg wash as it inhibits puffing by gluing layers together when it enters the cut sides.

8. Do not bake puff with an uncut edge. It would not puff up.

Puff Pastry

340 g all purpose flour

57 g cake flour

9 g salt

370 g unsalted butter

220 ml ice water

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours and the salt.  Dice 3 oz. (85 g) butter and toss in with the flour/salt mixture.  Refrigerate the rest of the butter. 

2. Rub the butter into the flour to look like a coarse meal. Add the water, a bit at a time, to form a sticky, rather "ugly" dough. 

3. Gather up the dough, flatten it into a vague rectangle, and wrap it in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for about an hour to give to completely hydrate the flour and to let the butter firm back up a bit.

4. Meanwhile, take out the rest 10 oz (300 g) of butter. Pound with a rolling pin to soften into a square shape about 5″ on a side and about 1/2″ thick.

5. Once the dough has been in the fridge for about an hour, check to see if the consistency of the butter and dough are similar (poke poke). 

6. Liberally flour your work surface and the dough, and roll to a square about 10″ on a side.  Now, roll each triangular corner of the square out into a thinner flap. You will then have a thicker diamond dough about 5-6″ on a side with thinner flaps. 

7. Brush the excess flour on the top of the dough off, and place the packet of butter in the center. Fold up one corner at a time to completely encase the butter in dough. Remember to brush off all the excess flour. If the dough is too soft by now, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes or so.

8. Flour your work surface again, and pound the dough with your rolling pin to flatten. Then, roll your dough into a rectangle about 16″X8″. Work with short strokes up and down the packet until things are nice and pliable. This will help keep your dough from ripping. If you do get a tear in your dough, patch it with some flour.

9. Fold the dough in thirds, like a business letter, being sure to brush off the excess flour. Keep the edges as square as possible. Repeat the rolling and folding a second time in the other direction. Wrap in plastic and mark a 2 finger indentation. Chill the twice turned dough into the fridge for an hour.

10. After an hour, take the dough out and give it two more turns. If at any time you feel the butter starting to slide around inside the dough, throw it back in the fridge. After the 2nd (4th) turn, wrap it up, mark 4 indentations and chill it in the fridge overnight.

11. The next day, take the dough and pound it with the rolling pin a few times, and give it two more turns.  Always keep the edges as square and even as possible, and always roll to a 16″x8″ rectangle. Roll to a finished thickness of 1/4″, and the dough is finally ready to be used.

12. For those who uses only half the dough, like me, freeze the rest of the dough in the frozen compartment. To use, thaw and roll out to 1/4". 

Chicken Pot Pie

• 1 boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 50 g butter
• 1 chopped onion
• Garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander
• 2 boiled potatoes
• 1 corn
• 35 g all-purpose flour
• salt
• black pepper
• Oregano
• 1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and saute chicken, onion and garlic.
3. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and oregano. Slowly stir in milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Place the chicken mixture in ovenproof dish. Cover with top crust. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. (Brush egg wash for golden brown effect (; )
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Puffed the puff, 

Jes

Marbled Cinnamon Ginger Almond Loaf Cake

Realising the arrival of December was a shock to me. No matter how much i've prepared for these last 4 weeks of 2011, I could never comprehend how my time went by. How did Christmas creep up so soon? Did i fulfill all the goals i've aimed for during this time last year? What will be my new goals then?

Once these questions popped, my thoughts were  in disarray and my heart begins to beats like an R&B song. I was worried, I was afraid, I was excited. And my eyes were blinking in jitters as if it was trying to replay what it has captured.

I thought about everything that happened. All the memories i should keep (because it tends to auto-delete), all the memories i should let go of. This year was a year of transition for me. Graduating from my Bachelor's degree, moving back to where i grew up, where i was born, working an office job, and revamping my blog to what it is now. I went though fearsome events, surprising events, remorseful events and happy joyous events.Going through all that change is never easy. I have a lot to forgive and forget, a lot more to be forgiven for and most of all to be thankful for. 

One of the most amazing joyous events I have went through, is how I improved my baking skills. I went through angel food cake, macaroons, cinnamon rolls, 6-layer cakes, rainbow cake, flaky crusts, swiss rolls and  mousse cakes. I now know what's creaming the butter, what's "mixing it like crazy" and what's "do not over mix". So, why not put that to use?

I'm not a big fan of ginger, how it tastes and how it smells. However, i'm the biggest fan of Gingey the gingerbread man (and i means "biggest" literally). Hence, when media shows its victory (once again) as i purchase this $25 can of ginger cookies, which i don't adore, i had to put it to use.

Immediately, pound cake came to my mind. I've never made one before and never succeeded in making cakes with that buttery, soft, yet dense texture. As far as my baking adventurist goes, I had to make one. Hence, when i saw this at Technicolor kitchen, I knew it was perfect for me. There wasn't too much ginger and the play of Almond with spices intrigued me.