Coming to the end of January and it's almost February now. Chinese New Year songs are now playing on the radio and in departmental stores all round Singapore. As a child, I loved this traditional Chinese holiday, as it's that time of the year when I'll receive red packets from all my relatives and get to indulge in all the delicious New Year snacks. Over the years, this has changed. The holiday to me, is really a time of reunion and celebration for familes. With families nowadays getting smaller and more distant, somehow we're more and more dependent on such holidays to bring us together in the spirit of the season.
I've never been very adventurous when it comes to baking Chinese New Year cookies. Cos I have an aunt who bakes them very well and I love to eat the Egg Rolls, Kueh Bahlu and Kueh Bangkit she makes every year. However, as she gets older, she bakes lesser. Hence, I decided to make a few simple treats this year as snacks for relatives and visitors to my place.
First on my agenda is the Double Chocolate Chip Almond Cookies. I took this recipe from Elyn's blog, followed the recipe to the T and true enough, the cookies baked beautifully. These chocolate gems didn't spread much and I love the simple indentations made with the use of a fork. I used all the best ingredients I can find, including Valrhona cocoa powder, Elle & Vire french butter, chopped 68% Valrhona chocolate and Prima flour, and these cookies turned out absolutely delicious. I shared my test batch with some of my friends and they loved them. Looks like I can boldly make more of them for the New Year :).
Double Chocolate Almond Cookies
adapted from e's joie
Ingredients:
100g butter
45g castor sugar
45g brown sugar
20g egg
140g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
60g chocolate chips (I used chopped Valrhona 68% Chocolate)
Handful of diced almonds
Preparation:
1. Cream butter with the sugars until light and fluffy.
2. Add in the egg a little at a time until it is well-incorporated with the batter.
3. Fold in the sifted flour, baking soda and cocoa powder until just incorporated.
4. Mix in the chopped chocolate and diced almonds.
5. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into a dough and flatten slightly on the baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart.
6. Bake at 170 degrees Celsius for 12 minutes.
Yields 30 cookies.
I have a few cookies in mind that i'll be baking.. but after seeing this post of yours, i'm torn all over again!
ReplyDeleteOops! Bake ALL of them! Which are the others you're planning to bake?
ReplyDeleteR u using a DSLR? Sharp fotos and depth of field.
ReplyDeleteIrene,
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm using a Nikon D60 :). The photos really turn out very different from my point and shoot camera!
Allie : pineapple tart (a must), green tea sables, and pumpkin crisp!
ReplyDeleteI agree when using good camera can give nice shot "clear front back blur" effect. HAiz mine is normal DC :P
ReplyDeleteAnyway nice cookies..like Cherie say, so many cookies to bake. So little time.
absolutely yummilicious cookies babe!! ^.^ hehe...but isn't that always the case? hehe...
ReplyDeleteCherie,
ReplyDeleteYep, it's the time of the year for pineapple tarts once again! Green tea sables sound yummy as well. Look forward to seeing it on your blog!
Simonne,
Normal DC works well too, it's the food that really matters! I wouldn't be able to use a DSLR if not for my dad who owns one. Yea it's true, it's always like a mad rush to meet the festive season. At the same time, it's really satisfying and enjoyable!
Kris,
Glad you liked them! I do have my bad days too...it's just that you get to try the better ones!
lol...and I want them again!!!! ^.^ Can I please have more so they'll last longer? muahaha...
ReplyDeleteHi are these cookies crunchy or chewy? Tq
ReplyDelete