Tis' The Season

Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year. Carols in the mall, greeting cards in the mail, poinsettias, gift buying and gift giving, nutmeg scented candles, I love them all. And there's the other part of Christmas that I love - the turkey, the traditional Christmas pudding, the bone-in ham, the gingerbread cookie. No Christmas celebration is ever complete without these. 

Though I am not a huge fan of gingerbread, it is without doubt the quintessential Christmas cookie. I have been baking this cookie for the past 4 Christmases and have every intention of continuing this baking tradition for as long as I can. They are perfect to finish a meal with and are great gifts - they look stunning in a translucent cookie jar.

This year, Alvin and I will be returning to Singapore to celebrate Christ's birth with the people we love. I can hardly wait. Here's wishing you good health and lots of love this holiday season. Blessed Christmas.

Snowflake Gingerbread Cookies

Makes 3 - 4 dozen depending on size of cookie cutter

For the gingerbread dough:

450g plain flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cardamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)

1 teaspoon salt

225g unsalted butter

150g caster sugar

180g muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar

1 large egg

2 tablespoons boiling water

1 tablespoon black treacle or blackstrap molasses

1 ½  teaspoons baking soda

For the meringue powder royal icing:

2 tablespoons meringue powder

300g icing suger (sifted)

4 tablespoons water

Prepare the gingerbread dough:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

Fix the mixer with the paddle attachment. Cream the unsalted butter in the mixer bowl for 2 minutes at medium speed.

Add muscovado sugar (or dark brown sugar) and caster sugar. Cream for 3 minutes at medium speed.

Beat in the egg.

In a separate small bowl, mix the boiling water together with the baking soda and treacle (or molasses) using a small spoon until the baking soda has dissolved completely.

Reduce the mixer to the slowest speed and gradually add the treacle (or molasses) mixture to the butter mixture. Turn up the mixer speed to medium.

Add the dry ingredients which have been previously set aside, in 4 additions, mixing just until combined. Do not panic. The dough will be very soft.

Divide the dough into 4 balls. Sheet a ball of dough by sandwiching between 2 large sheets of cut-up freezer bags and use a rolling pin to flatten ball of dough into an even 5mm thick sheet. Repeat for other 3 balls of dough. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours so that dough can firm up.

When the dough has been firmed up, pre-heat the oven to 350°F/175°C and set the rack in the middle level of the oven. Line several baking trays with parchment paper.

Remove first sheet of dough from refrigerator. Remove the top piece of plastic. Stamp out cookies with cookie cutter and transfer to prepared baking tray. Leave at least 4cm of space around each cookie to give it space for expansion during baking.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on size of the cookie. Monitor the cookies carefully to make sure they don't get burnt. When they are done, the tops should feel set.

Cool the cookies completely on the baking tray on a wire rack.

Repeat the above few steps with the other sheets of dough in the refrigerator.

Cookies can be stored in air-tight containers for up to 3 weeks.

Prepare the meringue powder royal icing:

Fix the mixer with the whisk attachment. Place all the ingredients in the mixer bowl and beat for 10 minutes at medium speed until stiff peaks are formed.

Prepare the snowflake gingerbread cookie:

Fit a disposable piping bag with a piping tip of your choice (this again depends on the size of your cookie). 

Fill the bag one-third full with the royal icing.  

Pipe away!

The Mysterious Macaron

The macaron has eluded me for a long time. It took me 4 unsuccessful tries before I finally conquered Mount Macaron tonight. And boy did I gain so much joy just to see the paper-thin dome shaped shells of these little fellas rise gloriously in the oven.

Macarons have been in fashion for a long time now. Some odd balls question the big fuss over this delicate confectionery. Well, I think they can attribute their worldwide success to their petite frame, pastel shades and pretty packaging.

A shout out to Ally and Rodney for introducing me to the wonderful world of Laduree macarons and Luxumburgerlis during the good old days at Batey. Naturally for someone like me, the logical step after discovering the world of macarons and tasting a couple of prototypes was to attempt to make my own. I surprised myself by persevering through 4 failed attempts. And after much concoction, I finally came up with what worked best for me. Funnily enough, after tonight's successful attempt, I couldn't bear to eat more than one - that would mean one macaron less for the folks in the office.

Chocolate Macarons with Chocolate Ganache

Makes 30

For the macaron shells:
120g powdered sugar
90g ground almonds

2 egg whites

30g sugar
50g cocoa powder

For the chocolate ganache:
100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
95g cream

Prepare the macaron shells:

Preheat oven at 300°F/150°C.

Line a baking tray with 2 layers of baking paper.
Sift the powdered sugar together with the cocoa powder and ground almond in a bowl. Mix well.
Whisk egg whites with electric mixer until foamy and white. Add the sugar and continue whisking until meringue is and soft peaks are formed.

Add dry ingredients to whisked egg whites and gently fold with a spatula. When dry ingredients have been fully incorporated, transfer it into a piping bag with a 10mm piping tip.
Pipe circles of 3.5 cm diameter, spacing them every 3 cm on baking paper. Once done, let the shells rest, preferably in an air-conditioned room for at least an hr.
Bake for 12-15 mins.

Prepare the chocolate ganache:
Heat cream to a boil then pour over the chocolate. Let chocolate melt on its own for a while then stir with a spatula until smooth and even.
Transfer to piping bag and place in fridge to cool before using.

Prepare the macaron:

Pipe chocolate ganache onto cooled maracon shell. Sandwich with another shell.