Pumpkin, Cranberry Pecan Cookies

Pumpkin, Cranberry Pecan Cookies

 
Ingrediants:

• 3/4 cup pecan halves
• 1 stick, unsalted butter
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 large organic egg
• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree, canned or homemade (but not flavored pie filling)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
3. Spread pecans over a small baking pan and toast for about 8 minutes.  Chop.
4. In a mixer, beat butter until creamy then slowly add brown sugar, continuing to beat until fluffy.  Add the egg, pumpkin and vanilla and beat until smooth.  
5. In a separate medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and fold until just incorporated.  Stir in the cranberries and pecans.
6. Scoop batter into drops using a teaspoon on the baking sheets.  Make sure they are at least 2 inches apart from each other.  Bake until golden brown, about 13 minutes.  Transfer to wire racks and allow to cool.  
7. Enjoy!

Substitution Ideas:

Replace cranberries with white or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Consider macadamia nuts or walnuts in place of pecans

Cherry Rosette

Cherry Rosette

Ingredients:
A:
180g butter.
180g icing sugar.

B:
2 eggs.
1/4 tsp vanilla essence.

C:
280g flour.
80g custard powder.
1/2 tsp baking powder.

D:
Some red glace cherries.

Method:

1. Cream A till light, then add in B and continue to cream till smooth and fluffy.

2. Add in the sieved C and mix till well blended.

3. Place the mixture into the piping bag with star tube. Pipe star rosette into the greased pan.

4. Cut the cherry into quarters and place a quarter on top of each cookie.

5. Bake at 170ºC for 15-20 minutes or till golden brown.

Tips:
If the mixture is creamed too long, the shape of the baked cookies will not appear clearly.

Orange Shell Cookies

Orange Shell Cookies
Ingredients:
A:
150g plain flour.
50g corn flour.
2 tbsp cocoa powder.
1/2 tsp baking powder.

50g corn flakes, finely crushed.
1tbsp grated orange rind.
100g butter or margarine.
50g sugar.
2 egg yolks.
1 tsp orange essence.

Method:

1. Sift togther A, then stir in corn flakes and orange rind. Mix well and set aside.

2. Cream butter, sugar, egg yolks and orange essence until fluffy.

3. Fold in flour mixture and mix well until soft dough forms.

4. Shape dough into small balls and firmly press into 'putu kacang' mould. Then knock lightly to remove cookies.

5. Place cookies on lightly greased baking tray, allow room for spreading.

6. Bake in preheated oven at 180ºC for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let it stand for 20 minutes.

Tips:

For Variation: Mix sifted icing sugar with orange essence and beat until well mixed. Then spread on cookies and sandwich together.