Recipe: Sugar Cookies (Korilakkuma shapes!)

To match with the Rilakkuma cookies, I also made a batch of sugar cookies to look like Korilakkuma. With many many thanks to my daddy dearest, since I didn't have a mould for it, he just crafted me one like MAGIC. So lucky of me =D

Ingredients:
60 mL     margarine
125 mL    sugar
1             egg
2mL        vanilla
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300 mL flour
2mL      baking soda
1 mL     cream of tartar
1mL      salt

Some Useful Utensils:
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups (dry and wet)
Big bowl
Wooden spoon or mixer
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Cookie cutter
2 pairs of chopsticks
Rolling pin
Oven mitts

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375^oF.

2. Cream margarine and sugar. 

3. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. 

4. Measure dry ingredients in a separate bowl. 

5. Add dry ingredients SLOWLY to creamed mixture.

6. Chill overnight in a container (I tried some unchilled, it was just more sticky)

7. Line two sides with chopsticks (each are reversed, so its more even)
This helps with rolling out a more even dough!

8. Cover with parchment paper and rolllll =)

9. Cut out shapes. 

10. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, or parchment-lined sheet. 

11. Bake 6-8 minutes, then place on cooling rack (I've decorated these as well ^^)

Also made elephants~

Recipe: Peanut Butter Cookies (Rilakkuma faces!)

Itching to use my new Christmas present, and CL linking me to The Sweetest Kitchen, I risked it and decided to bake =D And JC and I are on this Rilakkuma rave, so guess what? Rilakkuma cookies! =D This was a perfect recipe for making Rilakkuma because it was brown, like Rilakkuma!

Adapted from The Sweetest Kitchen's Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (and Jamieanne has more awesome recipes I'm dying to try out soon), I added a bit of flour, since I didn't have any all-natural PB at home and it was too sticky to deal with =P I'm sure it would've been fine without the flour, but I chicken out hehe

Ingredients:
1 cup all-natural chunky or smooth peanut butter
¹/₂ cup brown sugar
¹/₂ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda

Some Useful Utensils:
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups (dry and wet)
Big bowl
Wooden spoon (or mixer)
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Oven mitts

...and a hint of creativity ;)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350^oF (I usually do this later, cuz I'm slow)

2. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper (or grease with butter).

3. In a mixer, combine peanut butter and sugars until well combined, about 2 minutes.

4. Add egg and baking soda and mix for another 2 minutes.
(I added a bit of flour at this step)

This is how it looked like for me when I was satisfied with it =P 

5. Roll into walnut-sized balls and create a criss-cross pattern with a fork.
If you'd like, add a few chocolate pieces to the top of the chocolates. 

...OR you could be creative, and make faces ;) 

6. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned (they should look a bit undercooked!)
--when a cookie looks cooked in the oven, it's overdone!!!

7. Cool on cookie sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack... or to your mouth =)

After, I decorated mines... (You don't have to do this)

Easy Cookie Icing

Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 ¹/₂ tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional, not recommended for white areas)

Method:

1. Mix ingredients well.

2. Transfer to piping bag (or ziploc bag) then color as wanted.

3. Decorate as you please =) I used chocolate for the eyes and mouth though!
For Korilakkuma cookies, you can find the recipe here~

Recipe: Pretzels

After my Seattle trip, and seeing the price of pretzels, it reminded me I had a good recipe on my own, so decided against buying one, and came home to make my own =) The simple recipe is at the very bottom (without pictures). Hope you all have fun with it, and enjoy! =D

Ingredients:
250 mL warm water
15 mL    yeast
5 mL      sugar
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750 mL flour (split into half)
30 mL   margarine or butter, softened
1 mL     salt
15mL    sugar
30 mL (2 tbsp) Garlic Plus Powder or Italiano or other herbs you like from their line (from Club House) **FOR HERB PRETZELS ONLY!!! Don't put in any for plain ones =)**
---------------------------





500 mL water (fill up half your pot)
10 mL   baking soda
---------------------------
1         egg
30 mL water
coarse salt (optional, for plain pretzels only)

Some Useful Utensils:
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups (dry and wet)
Big bowl
Wooden spoon
Knife
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Oven mitts
Small pot
Flat seive
Brush
Small bowl (for the egg)

Method:

1. Mix together warm water and 5 mL sugar.

2. Sprinkle yeast on water evenly, and let sit until yeast dissolves.

Some yeast should still be on the top, but its ok if they've all sunk, just make sure
not to have one spoonful in a clump!

3. In the big bowl, mix together 375 mL flour, margarine, salt and sugar.
(I use my hands to mix the margarine in to make a crumble-like mixture)

4. Add in softened yeast and mix with wooden spoon.

5. Add the remaining flour (usually I only need to add about 250 mL more)
until dough is no longer sticky.
6. Knead dough for 5 minutes. **For Herb Pretzels, this is when you
slowly add the Garlic Plus Powder while kneading! Knead until
evenly mixed =)**
7. Cover dough with plastic wrap and/or towel for 10 minutes 
(I just place it in my oven-- It's not on though!!)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper!

8. Cut into 6 or 8 even portions (about 3oz), roll into a line.

Overlap once

Twice

Flip down, it takes a bit of practice, but you can shape it afterwards =)

9. Shape into pretzels, cover, let rise on parchment paper-lined
cookie sheet for 10 minutes.

10. Bring 1/2 pot of water and baking soda to a boil. Gently place risen pretzel
in the water. Remove when pretzel floats-- which is almost immediately
to a few seconds.

11. Place on greased/ parchment paper-lined cookie sheet (you can use the
same one as you did for the rising).
12. Bake at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes in the middle rack until lightly golden
in color.

13. Make egg wash by beating egg and mixing with 30 mL water.

Brush baked pretzels with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt
(for plain pretzels).
14. Cool on racks, or eat immediately =D This is a pic of the herb pretzel,
with the plain ones in the background =)

Recipe:

1. Mix together warm water and 5 mL sugar.
2. Sprinkle yeast on water evenly, and let sit until yeast dissolves.
3. In the big bowl, mix together 375 mL flour, margarine, salt and sugar. (I use my hands to mix the margarine in to make a crumble-like mixture)
4. Add in softened yeast and mix with wooden spoon.
5. Add the remaining flour (usually I only need to add about 250 mL more) until dough is no longer sticky.
6. Knead dough for 5 minutes. **For Herb Pretzels, this is when you slowly add the Garlic Plus Powder while kneading! Knead until evenly mixed =)**
7. Cover dough with plastic wrap and/or towel for 10 minutes (I just place it in my oven-- It's not on though!!)
8. Cut into 6 or 8 even portions, roll into a line.
9. Shape into pretzels, cover, let rise on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes.
10. Bring 1/2 pot of water and baking soda to a boil. Gently place risen pretzel in the water. Remove when pretzel floats-- which is immediately to a few seconds.
11. Place on greased/ parchment paper-lined cookie sheet (you can use the same one as you did for the rising).
12. Bake at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes in the middle rack until lightly golden in color.
13. Make egg wash by beating egg and mixing with 30 mL water. Brush baked pretzels with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt (for plain pretzels).
14. Cool on racks, or eat immediately =D

Enjoy~~

Recipe: Cream Puffs

It's been a while since I've put up a recipe! Here's a simple cream puffs recipe =)

Ingredients:
25mL margarine/ butter
50mL water
50mL flour
1        egg

Some useful utensils:

• non-stick saucepan/ pot
• wooden spatula
• measuring spoons
• measuring cup
• electric mixer
• large bowl (which can hold minimum of 1L of fluids to be safe)
• two small spoons (for scooping the batter onto the baking sheet)
• baking sheet
• (optional) parchment paper

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine margarine and water in a small saucepan (I like to use my non-stick pot).

3. Stir over heat just until margarine has melted and mixture boils (slightly, not strongly)

4. Add flour all at once, stir vigorously over heat until mixture leaves sides of saucepan.

You can see how it left easily! I roll it around for fun =P

5. Transfer mixture to a bowl and add egg.

6. Beat with electric mixer until fluffy.

It shouldn't be watery, and should be well mixed by now.

7. Drop heaping 5mL portions about 5 cm apart on ungreased cookie sheet. 
**You can choose to line this with parchment paper first =)**

8. Bake for 10 minutes at 400°F, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake another 10 minutes
or until crispy and slightly browned.
**DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DURING BAKING**

Voila~ Cool shells before filling with whipping cream or custard, then finish by
drizzling with melted chocolate.