foodessa

Showing posts with label Baking. Show all posts

cake ELEGANCE and WHIMSY for my Birthday Mom

SHOWY CAKE for a VERY SPECIAL PERSON...
on her CELEBRATORY birthDAY.

Life has lately been nothing but unusually crazy busy.
However, a very important task had to be accomplished.
I've been scrambling to put this recipe together with of course photos...

so that my Mommy could have her cake a second time.

Second, because we celebrated her on Sunday...
while her real Birthday is today!

If I were asked to describe my Mommy's personality...

I would definitely say this cake does her justice.

She's as strong as the foundation of this cake...
as well as having the vulnerabilities of possible shifting...
layers if not supported by quality ingredients.

The crunch of the selected nuts...show off her witty character.
The smooth flowing topping...underline her simple elegance.

However, most importantly...
the very showy upright slender cookies...

showcases her dramatic, funny and uplifting personality.

Therefore, when Mom walked into the dining room
to be surprised by her dedicated cake...
her expression said it all...it was actually quite priceless.

Back to the decadent lusciously flowing celebrity cake.
Keep in mind...Mom is very careful with her silhouette lately.

Therefore, when I saw my very polite mother with the
most refined manners imaginable...
licking her fingers with her favourite cream topping...

...well at that point it was all worth the great amount of

time spent creating this special cake for her.

Oh...and by the way...my fingers were not too far either ;o)

My only regret is not having captured that very delicate moment on camera.

Who knows when something like that could come in handy.

I would have been able to have used this as leverage...

at some later vulnerable point of misbehaviour ;o)

This cake truly turned out fabulous.

The flavours all came together divinely without an overpowering sweetness.

There was the light smoothness of the vanilla cream topping which...

enveloped a very light textured and yet robust cake.

The layers were thankfully held by a very tasty...

bite of chocolate maple syrup mousse.

Now, Mom has been dying to know how I...

managed to put all this together.
Lot's of organization, but mostly tons of dedication and LOVE.

So Mom...here is how it all unfolded.
For any of my fellow foodies who would like to try making this cake...

don't be overwhelmed...one step at the time.

Before you know it...you'll realize that it...

felt more difficult than it really turns out to be.

So, come along and enjoy a virtual piece of cake with me...

until of course you try your own ;o)

Notes:

. I used my regular cake recipe which I have modified from one of Cook's illustrated versions of a plain basic yellow cake. I, then altered it quite a bit more to become a flavourful version of butterscotch and pecans. This served as the primary foundation to this fabulous creation.

. To keep the 3 layers in their place I concocted a very easy coarse chocolate maple syrup mousse to be layered in between the cake sponge. The final dressing came in the form of a lava flowing topping of vanilla pudding and whipped cream.

. The decorative finishing held a handful of lightly roasted slivered almonds along with pecans and store bought rolled chocolate hazelnut cigar cookies.

ELEGANCE and WHIMSY
high layered cake

serves 8-12 people

Printer Friendly Version

INGREDIENTS...CAKE:
(note: all ingredients should be at room temp.)
(American / Metric measures)

. 1-1/2 cups (225g) unbleached, All-Purpose flour
(extra for dusting pan)
. 1 cup (130g) Whole wheat flour
. 1 small pkg. (100g) Butterscotch pudding mix
. 1 tsp. (5ml) baking powder
. 1/2 tsp. (2.5ml) baking soda
. 1/2 tsp. (2.5ml) salt
. 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar, packed
. 1/2 cup (110g) granulated sugar (half goes with the egg whites)
. 1/2 cup (120ml) unsalted butter (melted and brought to room temp.)
. 1 cup (250ml) Buttermilk*
. 3 tbsps. (45ml) vegetable oil
. 2 tsps. (10ml) vanilla extract
. 6 large egg yolks
. 3 large egg whites
. 1/2 cup (60g) pecans, coarsely chopped
. 1 orange zest (optional)

* Making homemade BUTTERMILK:

. For about every 1 cup (250ml) needed...first add 1 tbsp. (15ml) of EITHER white vinegar, cider vinegar or lemon juice. To that, add the rest in the amount of milk to complete the volume required in the recipe. Let the milk rest to thicken for 10 minutes. Afterwards, give it a light stir before pouring into the recipe.

PREPARATION:

Position the rack in the center of the oven.
Use a 10 inch/(26cm) Bundt pan (which I used) OR a regular Tube cake pan.
Oil-spray the pan and lightly dust with flour to coat all surfaces...knock out the excess.
For a dark surface cake pan...Pre-heat oven to 325F/170C/Gas3
For a light colored surface pan...Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4

1. In a large bowl: hand whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar and the half the amount of granulated sugar. Make a well and set aside.
2. In a small sized bowl: hand whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and the egg yolks. Set aside.
3. In a medium sized bowl: with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until foamy (about 30 seconds). Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form (about 60 seconds). Set aside.
...Combining the mixes:

4. Gradually pour butter mix into the flour mix as you beat on Low speed. Blend together while scraping the sides with a spatula. Beat until all is incorporated (about 30 seconds). Do not over mix.
5. Afterwards, with a spatula...fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter. Add the remaining whites and continue to gently fold the batter until all streaks of white have disappeared.
6. Now, the chopped pecans and the (optional orange zest) can be folded in.
7. Pour the batter into the cake pan and lightly tap down the pan to remove air bubbles.
8. BAKE for about 40-45 minutes or until the cake seems to pull away from the sides of the pan. Test it also by inserting a toothpick in the center to make sure it comes out clean.
. Once out of the oven, place the cake on a rack to cool for about ten minutes before loosening it from the sides. Once loosened, you can securely invert the cake onto another wire rack for another rest of 5 minutes. Revert the cake back again onto the rack. Cool the cake completely for a minimum of 2 hours before manipulating it.
Note: My personal choice is to bake it the day before and covering it with a clean tea cloth. The day after, I'm ready to assemble and decorate.

CREAMS and DECORATION:

(American / Metric measures)

...Cream filling + Topping:

. 1 small pkg. (100g) Vanilla pudding mix

. 2 cups (500ml) of milk (1% fat+)

. 5 ounces (150g) bittersweet 65-70% chocolate

. 1 tsp. (5ml) unsalted butter

. 1/8 cup (25ml) Maple syrup (or Agave Nectar)

. 2 cups (500ml) 35% whipping cream

. 1/2 cup (64g) confectioner's sugar

...Garnish:

. 1/2 cup (60g) slivered almonds (lightly toasted)

. 10 raw, pecan halves

. 10 chocolate hazelnut cigar cookies

PREPARATION of CREAMS and
final ASSEMBLY

1. Slightly toast the slivered almonds in the oven or skillet. Watch over them! Set aside to completely cool.
Vanilla pudding topping:
2. In a medium bowl, using an electric beater...pour in the milk into the vanilla powder (follow package directions). Cover with plastic wrap (touching the cream) and refrigerate until ready to use.
Chocolate Mousse-type cream:
3. In a small bowl...place the chopped chocolate with butter and melt in microwave in increments of 40 seconds each. After the first time...give it a slight stir. After the next 40 seconds...let it sit for 5 minutes before stirring until fully melted. There will be a very shiny appearance. Once the chocolate has reached room temperature, add the Maple syrup into the melted chocolate and give it a stir. It will transform its texture...do not worry...this is what you want at this stage. Set aside.
Whip the 35% Cream: (to be divided for two mixes)
4. Take another medium bowl and whip the cream to reach the ribbon stage and a good peak is formed.
5. Spoon and fold in a little into the chocolate mix. Continue putting in about half of the bowl contents into the chocolate. It will look like a thick mouse mixture with coarse pieces of chocolate. The remaining goes to the other vanilla based topping.
6. Take the remaining whipped cream and add to it the confectioner's sugar. Whisk it in by hand. Cover the bowl and refrigerate while you take care of the rest of the cake assembly.
Cake base assembly:
7. Place the cake on a large serving dish. Slice the cake in three even layers. Gently remove the two top layers and set aside. Spread half the chocolate mousse cream evenly throughout by leaving a little uncovered edge around the perimeter so that it will not spread out from the sides. Repeat for the next layer.
8. Afterwards, when the cake has been completely mounted, take out both bowls of vanilla pudding and the whip cream mixes. Fold in a bit of whipped cream into the pudding to start and then fold in the rest. Don't over fold, keep it light. Set aside just for enough time to assemble the cake garnish.
Final decoration Assembly:
9. SLOWLY spoon the cream over the top of the cake. This will create a lava flow outcome throughout the cake.
10. Sprinkle the lightly toasted slivered almonds around the top and a little of the sides of the cake. Place your pecan halves evenly over the top.
11. Finish off by placing your chocolate hazelnut cigar cookies standing upright in the middle of the cake.

Voila...you are finally done.
Give yourself a great pat on the back for a job well executed.

Now, all you need to do is wait for all the compliments coming your way ;o)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

to my very young...
and vibrant Mommy.

Flavourful wishes,

Foodessa

Comments ... ??? ... or suggestions ... write me :o)

Claudia at: foodessa [at] gmail [dot] com

Go HERE for more SWEET creations.

Please take note on how I bake and cook...

Here’s a 101 of sorts to make sure that there are no disappointments when trying my creations.

Also...just so you know...feel free to increase the salt and sweet factor since I'm not high on either of them ;o)

. Use DRY cup measurements for...you guessed it...all DRY ingredients.

Anything DRY gets measured by spooning the overfilled ingredient (never shake the cup) and then level off with a flat edged tool. Exception...Brown sugar should be packed in and leveled.

. Use LIQUID cup measurements for...all LIQUIDS that cannot be leveled like for example butter, yogurt...etc. Measure the liquids at eye level to avoid overdoing what the recipe truly needs.

. OVENS are unfortunately not created equal. Mine is so old that it has reached many degrees off it's norm. It's really worth investing a few dollars to test yours with an appropriate oven thermometer. You'd be surprised how many ovens I've heard about not being where they should have been. Before you lose any more ingredients and much time preparing a new recipe...run to the store...you'll thank me later.

Other FANCY cake that may interest you:
- Fruit Melody velvety-smooth CHEESECAKE ...a Food 101-how to
- Chocolate Berry Peach cheesecake
- TiraMiSù ExtraOrdinario
- TiraMiSù Galliano LEMON special

BANANA Chocolate candied Ginger Muffins recipe

BANANA Chocolate candied Ginger Muffins

Here they are...fresh, moist and aromatic...right out of the oven.

Well...not right at this moment...

the other day...two weekends ago to be more precise.

All that doesn't matter because we still had some left over due to

the fact that these babies froze and thawed to perfection.

We warmed them in our small toaster oven to bring them back to life.

Just seeing the muffins...brought back cherished memories

as they slowly aromatized our kitchen once more.

After having looked over a few similar banana chocolate muffin recipes...and then adding to them my crazy baking theories and ideas...I miraculously fluked out with a great combination.

In my humble opinion...they turned out excellent the very first time.

Wow...that rarely happens with me. There’s always a few improvements that get taken care of through future baking trials. It usually has to hit at least a 8/10 before I would try the same type of recipe again.

However, for these amazing tasting muffins...according to my personal scale of baking trial and errors...this turned out to be a 9.9/10.

Soooo close...and yet, a 'tinsy winsy' thing that bothered me. The only thing I would omit next time would be the sprinkled surface chocolate. What a mess that turned out to be. As soon as you go near the muffins you somehow already have the chocolate all over you!?! So, no big deal...that's easily fixable in writing...but the photos will remain as they are for now.

Alright then...enough already...I'm ready to give up my recipe. They are too good to keep to myself.

For the friends I have shared these with...you're finally going to have these in your oven blessing your home sweet home sooner than you thought! You can thank me later ;0)

BANANA CHOCOLATE candied Ginger Muffins

Yields 12 large muffins

No electric beater required

Click HERE for a PRINTER version of this RECIPE

Note: I have come back to re-vamp and simplify this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

(American / Metric measures)

Dry mixture:
. 1 cup (150g) All-Purpose flour
. 1 cup (130g) whole wheat flour
. 1 tsp. (5ml) baking powder
. 1 tsp. (5ml) baking soda
. 1/2 tsp. (2.5ml) sea salt
. 3/4 cup (165g) granulated sugar
......
. 1/2 cup (120g) candied ginger (finely chopped)
. 1/2 cup (70g) roasted almonds (coarse chop)
. 3/4 cup (135g) bittersweet (65-70%) chocolate (coarse chop)

Wet mixture:
. 1/2 cup (125ml) plain yogurt (preferred 2% fat+)
. 1-1/2 cup (350ml) ripe bananas (about 3 large), mashed
. 1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil (canola or grapeseed)
. 2 xLarge eggs
. 1 tsp. (5ml) pure vanilla extract
. 1 medium orange or lemon, finely zested (optional)

Alternative ingredients: I certainly would substitute with shredded coconut as well as dried raisins or cranberries in this recipe without hesitation.

PREPARATION:

. Position the rack in the center of the oven.
. Pre-heat the oven to 375F.
. Lightly oil the surface of the muffin pan and then...

place the paper liners into the cavities.

...DRY MIX:
1. In a large bowl, except for the chocolate, whisk together all the dry ingredients.

...WET MIX:
2. In a medium bowl, mash the ripe bananas and add to it the rest of the wet ingredients. Blend until well combined.

...Assembly:

3. Make a well in the dry ingredients and then add the wet mixture. Combine well and only until all traces of flour disappears. Last, fold in the chocolate. Do not over mix. Set aside.

4. Spoon in the batter evenly to the very top of the cavities.
. BAKE for about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and wait only 5 minutes before removing the muffins and placing them onto a cooling rack.

. STORING: If not planning to eat the muffins within the next two days, it's best to freeze them with their paper liners up to one months time.
When re-warming, keep the paper liners on. Set the oven on very low for about 20 minutes.

When ready to peel off the cupcake liners...be gentle and patient.
Remember...there's a lot of chocolate melted in these scrumptiously delicious muffins.

Happy baking and flavourful wishes,

Foodessa

Comments ... ??? ... or suggestions ... write me :o)

Claudia at: foodessa [at] gmail [dot] com

Go HERE for more SWEET creations.

Please take note on how I bake and cook...

Here’s a 101 of sorts to make sure that there are no disappointments when trying my creations.

Also...just so you know...feel free to increase the salt and sweet factor since I'm not high on either of them ;o)

. Use DRY cup measurements for...you guessed it...all DRY ingredients.

Anything DRY gets measured by spooning the overfilled ingredient (never shake the cup) and then level off with a flat edged tool. Exception...Brown sugar should be packed in and leveled.

. Use LIQUID cup measurements for...all LIQUIDS that cannot be leveled like for example butter, yogurt...etc. Measure the liquids at eye level to avoid overdoing what the recipe truly needs.

These other RECIPES may also be of interest to you:
- banana coffee DATE nut spice muffins
- BLUEBERRY ginger citrus GF Muffin
- CHOCOLATE RICOTTA SQUASH muffins
- CEREAL tops with Amaretto-Nut-Chocolate-Dulce de Leche interiors
- ice-creamed BEETroot walnut, raisin MUFFINS
- ice-creamed Chocolate ice-cream Hazelnut Cranberry muffins
- Jam filled Almond Banana big cap Gluten-free muffins
Other related recipes:
- BANANA Yogurt n Spice loaf cake
- GINGER and candied ginger recipe

PHYLLO Pastry_Chocolate Apple Nut Phyllo triangle pockets

Between the sheets of Phyllo pastry...

Chocolate Apple Nut triangle pockets

Buttery light and flaky describes...
anything enveloped by the delicate sheets...
of PHYLLO pastry.

If you're rushed for the recipe...go straight to the end of the post.

Many people have shied away from using this mysterious ’PHYLLO’ dough ingredient. Most do not know what to do with it and some still do not know what it is. That’s alright...but its time you get acquainted with this magical dough which will yield impressive results every time.

I was slowly introduced to this Mediterranean dough with my favourite Greek, Armenian and Lebanese foods. I thoroughly enjoy most of their sweet and savoury treats. I'm marvelled at all that is accomplished with these very thin sheets made of simply flour, water and a tad of oil or white vinegar.

Practically any blend of ingredients enveloped within this crispy, light and flaky sheet is a pleasure in every bite.

Especially when I buy Lebanese pastries such as these. Sold quite expensively I might add...so they better be the best you can find! Throughout the years I've unfortunately packed on a few pounds just having to find the very best place that makes these great treats of pure joy ;0)

If ever you are visiting the Montreal region...write to me for an update on this very best find!

The main ingredients found in these particular pastries usually consist of:

A variety of nuts...usually: pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts and at times walnuts. Sweet syrup developed with simple sugars as well as a minimal amount of honey. Splashes of Rose water as well as orange flavoured water. Most importantly the binder that realizes the flakiness could only really be butter.

My personal tip: Throughout my experiences with certain recipes...I have also blended butter with a little vegetable oil such as canola or grape seed. This does not alter the results greatly and it does help in minimizing a few calories. Who wouldn't want that.

Now, admittedly...I still am a long way from creating these decadent jewels.

For now, I'll just enjoy selecting my favourites from the many displays of wonderfully crafted pastry delicacies.

Add to these afternoon delights...an aromatic espresso for me and a café au lait for my 'hubby'...and we're good to go.

The day I had finally decided to learn how to use this product...I never looked back. I dove right in and actually managed to create many very successful appetizers and desserts.

Once you understand the principal physical qualities that have to be respected with this lovely ingredient...a whole new avenue has opened its way for you to wow yourself and others.

Therefore, before I get into one of the recipes I've made lately let's find out what Phyllo is...where it comes from...and finally how to use it.

So, join me and let's take a small peak into this thick raw dough that is stretched to the maximum and finished off into delicate paper thin pastry sheets.

If you know everything there is to know on PHYLLO dough...

you can SKIP this whole section and scroll down straight towards today's recipe.

PHYLLO dough GUIDE 101

What is PHYLLO?

Phyllo, filo, or fillo...[pronounced: fee-lo]
...meaning 'leaf' in the Greek language.

Flaky, tissue/ paper thin sheets of raw, unleavened flour dough. A pastry dough layered in very thin sheets that become flaky when baked.

Used for making pastries and appetizers in and Mediterranean (mostly Greek) and other Middle Eastern cuisine.

Phyllo sheets should not be confused with puff pastry, which like Phyllo has multiple layers, but is made with butter or oil between layers. When the layered Phyllo preparation is baked or deep-fried it becomes crispy and resembles puff pastry, though their preparation is very different and they are generally not substituted for one another.

Phyllo dough is made with flour, water, and a small amount of oil and raki or white vinegar, though some dessert recipes also call for egg yolks. Homemade Phyllo takes time and skill, requiring progressive rolling and stretching to a single thin and very large sheet. A very big table and a long roller are used, with continual flouring between layers to prevent tearing.

Machines for producing filo pastry were perfected in the 1970s, which have come to dominate the market. Phyllo for domestic use is widely available from supermarkets, fresh or frozen. -- Ref.: wikipedia

Phyllo...Types:

. Other than the popular flat sheet type...Phyllo can also be sold in the form of shredded dough call 'kataifi’ or ‘kadaif’ dough a.k.a. ‘Angel Hair’ : This particular dough can be layered or rolled into a log and then sliced into 1/4 inch rounds.

. It can also be found in different shapes such a as in 'pre-baked phyllo cup shells'. For these...you can simply add your preferred filling (about 1--1.5 tsps.) and oven bake the filled shell at 350F/180C/Gas4 for about 7-9 minutes.

Phyllo...How-to-Guideline:

. Fresh Phyllo dough is a preferred choice and it doesn‘t tear as easily as the frozen one. However the frozen kind works has worked well with successful results every time.

. If you use a frozen Phyllo package (about 1lb [454gr.]...just make sure to thaw it in the refrigerator from the day before (about 18 hours or so).

. Before using it...leave the rolled, un-opened package out at room temperature for about 2 hours. NEVER thaw frozen phyllo at room temperature.

. Just make sure that once it's opened...it won't hang around too long afterwards. This dough is a little finicky! Take out what you need and re-wrap the rest to be put back in the fridge. This dough usually keeps reasonably well for at least another week or so.

. The thing you need to be AWARE of the most is how quickly the sheets dry out in-between uses. Therefore, to prevent drying...gently unfold the Phyllo package and then always cover your sheets flat and in between two papers of parchment...finishing off with a very damp tea towel as the top layer.

. These sheets may sometimes have some small cracks and tears...it's very normal. Just remember...that even though these sheets may tear once and a while...it's no big deal. With the help of butter and/or oil...the dough can readily be patched together...with little notice when baked! Excess, torn pieces can be used for other recipes too. Surprisingly this dough is very forgiving. More on this later. However, if you can't wait...refer to the bottom of this post for an interesting 'Leftover Cheese pie' recipe.

. It is also best that you always have dry hands when manipulating these Phyllo sheets. When this dough comes in contact with water...it becomes 'gummy' and unmanageable!

. If a recipe requires certain size cut pieces...you can use a sharp knife or a pizza wheel cutter which I find works best.

. Make sure to have ALL the other ingredients for your recipe ready to go before un-wrapping the Phyllo.

. The brushing of melted butter or olive oil are the binding liquid fats of choice when making recipes with Phyllo. Some have even used butter-flavoured cooking spray with reasonable success.

. Use a silicone or soft bristle pastry brush to coat the Phyllo dough...starting from the outside edges towards the middle...this will help to keep it workable.

. Avoid getting over-greasy results by not over coating the dough with butter or oil.

. If the recipe requires cutting pieces in the pan before oven baking...delicately score ONLY the surface with a very sharp knife. Afterwards follow through back again until you have cut to the bottom of the pan create the pre-baked pieces.
. Most recipes with Phyllo will usually be baked on the 2nd rack up from the bottom in the oven at between 350F/180C/Gas 4...to sometimes 375F/190C/Gas 5.
. After having refrigerated the leftovers...make sure that when ready to eat these pies or pastries again...carefully either re-heat them in a very low temp. oven for no more than 10 minutes or just simply leave them cool down at room temp. NEVER re-heat in the microwave.

Chocolate Apple Nut
Phyllo triangle pockets
Makes 12 pastries

Click HERE for a PRINTER version of RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

(American / Metric measures)

. 4 large 'Phyllo' dough sheets

. 1/2 cup (120ml) melted butter

. 1/4 cup (60ml) canola oil

. 2 medium apples (i.e.: McIntosh...)

. 12 small pieces of semi-sweet (55-60%) chocolate

or 12 tbsp. of 'ganache'

. 12 nut halves: walnuts or pecans

. ground cinnamon (for sprinkle)

. sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar and/or ground cinnamon for garnish (optional)

PREPARATION:

Note: these pastries can be prepared ahead of time and frozen between sheets of parchment paper. Before baking, they need to thaw no more than 10 minutes.
***

. Pre-heat oven to 375F/190C/Gas 5
. Position rack on 2nd level from the bottom of the oven.
. Clean and prepare a large enough space on the counter to work the pastries.
. Line a very large cookie sheet with a parchment paper or use a 'Silpat'. Set aside.
. Dampen a tea towel to later cover the unused, 'Phyllo'.
. In a small bowl, melt the butter and then mix in the oil.

...Prepare the filling and the sheets:

1. Measure and set aside the nuts and chocolate. Peel and thinly slice the apples. Set aside briefly.
2. Place the 'Phyllo' sheets under the damp cloth.
3. When you are absolutely ready, take one sheet at the time and lightly drizzle the butter/oil mix. Leave the remaining sheets under the cover to prevent them from drying.
4. Afterwards, with your hand, quickly spread the mix throughout the surface of the sheet, while making sure the edges are well covered. Make sure not to saturate the sheets.

...Assembly:

5. With a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, evenly cut 3 strips from the first phyllo pastry sheet. The width will be about 4 inches/ 10 cm.
6. At the start of each strip, leave a small space before placing three apple slices, followed by chocolate, a nut and topped by a sprinkle of cinnamon.
7. Afterwards, fold each strip into a triangle (as if folding a flag)...Start with the right hand corner and flip to the left by creating a triangle. Continue with that pointed end and flip upwards. Flip again to the opposite end and repeat the last few steps until you almost reach the end. At this point make a small fold that will be left tucked under.
8. Brush a little of the butter mix onto the surfaces before placing them onto the baking sheet. Repeat the same for the remaining ingredients.
. BAKE for about 15-20 minutes or until the pockets turn a golden colour. When cooled onto racks, sprinkle with optional icing sugar and cinnamon.

***

For those who are still mystified...here's is more.

Proceed with the FOLDING of the triangle pocket formation by following the...

Triangle Fold-Over technique

1. Fold the right hand corner over to the LEFT to form a triangle with the mix.

2. Take the pointed end and fold straight UP.

3. Take the corner with the filling and fold over to the OPPOSITE side to the RIGHT.

...repeat the flipping technique:

4. Once again, take the pointed end and fold straight UP.

5. Take the corner with the filling and fold over to the OPPOSITE side to the LEFT.

6. Take the pointed end and fold straight UP.

7. Take the corner with the filling and fold over to the OPPOSITE side to the RIGHT.

8. Take the pointed end and fold straight UP.

9. Take the corner with the filling and fold over to the OPPOSITE side to the LEFT.

10. When you reach the end...make a small fold.

Place the triangle fold part down on the cookie sheet.

Go ahead...try these out and enjoy every bite.

Flavourful wishes,

Foodessa

Comments ... ??? ... or suggestions ... write me :o)

Claudia at: foodessa [at] gmail [dot] com

Go HERE for more SWEET creations.

Please take note on how I bake and cook...

Here’s a 101 of sorts to make sure that there are no disappointments when trying my creations.

Also...just so you know...feel free to increase the salt and sweet factor since I'm not high on either of them ;o)

. Use DRY cup measurements for...you guessed it...all DRY ingredients.

Anything DRY gets measured by spooning the overfilled ingredient (never shake the cup) and then level off with a flat edged tool. Exception...Brown sugar should be packed in and leveled.

. Use LIQUID cup measurements for...all LIQUIDS that cannot be leveled like for example butter, yogurt...etc. Measure the liquids at eye level to avoid overdoing what the recipe truly needs.