Choc Chip Cupcakes w/ Ganache Icing

Each week I bake a batch of cookies or cakes for all the guys in David's panel at work.

There is no popping down the shop to get lunch when you work down a coal mine!

And since they all work the night shift what could be better than a sugar hit at 3am!!

Makes 12-15 cupcakes depending on the size of your patty cases

CUPCAKES

4oz/ 120g Butter, softened

4oz/ 120g sugar

4oz/ 120g All purpose flour (Plain flour)

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon Baking powder

1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate soda

2 teaspoons Vanilla essence

2 Tablespoons Milk

1/4 cup Chocolate bits

GANACHE

7oz/ 200g Chocolate bits

1/4 cup Thickened cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 200*C/390*F

In a medium bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy

Beat in eggs, vanilla essence and milk

Sift together flour, baking powder and bicarb. Add to wet ingredients

Mix well

Add in choc bits and stir to combine

Divide mix evenly between 12 individual patty cases

Bake for 10 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

TO MAKE THE GANACHE

In a small saucepan heat the cream until just below boiling

Remove from heat and add in choc bits

Stir until all the chocolate has melted and mix has turned to a smooth glossy consistency

Top cupcakes with the ganache and allow to set

BBQ Chicken Wraps

These wraps are so quick and easy to put together, they are great for when your low on time or if like today it's too hot to be in the kitchen.

I don't have specific measurments because it depends on how many wraps your making but it's so easy you can judge the amounts yourself.

INGREDIENTS

Jumbo tortillas

Chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes

Your favourite BBQ sauce

Shredded lettuce

Tomato, sliced

Tasty cheddar cheese grated

DIRECTIONS

(Tip: Cover the frypan with foil, it makes for an easy clean up)

• Place diced chicken in a bowl
• Add enough BBQ sauce to cover chicken
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
• Cook chicken over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until cooked
• Meanwhile shred the lettuce, slice the tomatoes and grate the cheese, place in seperate bowls
• Once chicken has cooked place in a bowl
• Heat tortillas following directions on the package
• Place a serving of lettuce, tomato, cheese and chicken on tortilla, wrap and serve.

Enjoy.

Icing Sugar Cookies

Here is the first of my all time favorite Christmas cookie recipes.

These cookies are light and flaky with a hint of vanilla.

The first time I made a batch I thought they would be super sweet because of the use of icing sugar (powdered sugar) but it's not too sweet at all, in fact they were just right :)

ICING SUGAR COOKIES

2+3/4 cups plain flour (all purpose flour), sifted

1 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar), sifted

125 grams (4.4 oz) softened butter

1 egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream butter until light and fluffy

Add icing sugar and beat until smooth

Add egg to the butter mix, blend until smooth

Stir in vanilla

Add flour and combine until dough comes together

Shape cookie dough into a disc and chill for at least 2 hours before rolling

Preheat the oven to 160*C, 320*F

On a lightly floured surface knead dough slightly to soften

Roll out dough betwwen two sheets of baking paper to ¼ inch thick and cut out desired shapes

Place cut outs on a lined cookie sheet

Bake in the centre of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is a light golden brown

Remove cookies from the oven and cool on a wire rack

Decorate as desired

Store in an airtight container

Cookies will keep for 3 days

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Another one of our Christmas cookie favorites is the Chocolate Thumbprint.

These cookies are David’s favorite, they don’t last very long when he’s around :)

THUMBPRINTS
Makes about 40

INGREDIENTS

COOKIES

2 cups Plain flour (All purpose flour)
1 cup + 1 Tablespoon Cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
225 grams or 8 oz Butter, softened
1 + 1/3 cups White sugar
2 large Egg yolks
2 tablespoons Thickened cream
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

GANACHE FILLING

250 grams Chocolate bits
1/3 cup Thickened cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 180*C / 350*F

Sift flour, cocoa and salt into a large bowl

In another bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy

Reduce the mixer speed to medium; add egg yolks, cream
and vanilla

Scrap sides of the bowl down, stir in flour mix and beat
until combined

Roll balls using 1 Tablespoonfuls of dough for each cookie

Place on a lined cookie sheet 1 inch apart

With the end of a wooden spoon gently press in the centre
to create an indentation

Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven

Cool on tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to
cool completely

Once cool heat cream in a small saucepan, bring almost to
the boil then remove from the heat

Pour the chocolate bits into the cream and stir until smooth
and glossy

Allow to cool until mix is warm

Spoon warm ganache into the centre of each cookie

Let firm for about 15 minutes

Store in an airtight container
Cookies will keep fresh for 3 days.

Happy Holidays

Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are a holiday staple, they taste delicious and are great fun to decorate.

We make a couple of batches each Christmas.

Sugar Cookies
Makes about 30, it all depends on the size of your cookie cutter

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
3 cups plain flour (all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt


Directions

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth.
Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
(I use my hands to combine the flour, it seems to make the dough more tender.)

Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

Preheat oven to 200*C / 400*F.

Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter.
Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven.
Cool completely on a wire rack

Decorate as desired. I used a small amount of royal icing and rainbow choc chips.