Sunday, November 6, 2011

Homemade Christmas Snack

Homemade Christmas Snack
Welcome!
 I am stella from Sri lanka 



Make it a jolly festive season with delicious, easy Christmas snacks. Give the gift of a memorable treat.


                                          
                                       
  • FOR THE DOUGH:
  • 100 grams Plain Flour
  • ¼ teaspoons Salt To Taste
  • 50 grams Butter, Chilled
  • ½ whole Egg Yolk, Beaten
  • 50 milliliters Water Cooled
  • _____
  • FOR THE MERINGUE:
  • 1 whole Egg White
  • 50 grams Sugar
  • 1 drop Food Coloring Pink
      For the dough:
Sift the flour. Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Mix. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Next add approximately 1/2 of the egg yolk and the water. Mix well your hands. Try to work quickly.
Wrap the dough and chill for 10 -15 minutes.
Now take the dough and roll out into a 12 inch square that is about 1/8 inch thick, using a rolling pin. Cut it into round shapes (diameter 2 inches) using a pastry cutter or cookie cutter.
Put the pastry rounds into greased moulds (use butter or coking spray) and make sure the dough goes up the sides as well. I used moulds that were about 1.5 inches across, and had ridged edges (kind of like a peanut butter cup wrapper). Then trim off the excess pastry that goes over the edges of the mould. Prick the base with a fork to prevent air bubbles. You should have 12 moulds. You can use scraps of the dough and cut out strips – 1/8 inch width and 6 inch long. Fold each of the strips in half and twist strips together. You are basically making a spiral shaped decoration to place on top of the meringue. Place the decorations on the baking sheet as well.
Bake about 10 minutes at 200 c degrees or until the crust is light brown. Let cool.
For the meringue: Place the egg white and sugar in a bowl. After 5 minutes of whipping, add food coloring. Continue to beat the mixture until stiff and standing in peaks (use an electric hand mixer).
After that take the cooled pastry bases and get them ready to fill. Next put the meringue in a pastry bag with a piping tip and pipe the filling into the bases. I’ve done this in the photo above.
Next decorate the meringue by sticking the spiral piece of pastry in the top. I’ve done this in the photo above. Then if you want, you can place a candle on the top of the spiral and you can even take a small strip of paper and write your fortune and connect it to the candle.
Serve and enjoy.
                        




Saturday, September 3, 2011

Homemade Bread Basket

Welcome!


I am stella from Sri lanka

                          
                      This is an easy and inexpensive gift for any occasion. 
                                          
                                             Step by step recipe
  • 200 grams Bread Flour
  • 4 grams Yeast
  • 20 grams Sugar
  • ½ teaspoons Salt To Taste
  • 100 milliliters Water
  • 1 whole Beaten Egg, Divided
  • 20 grams Butter, Melted
     

Preparation Instructions

In a mixing bowl combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix 1 minute. Next add water and half of the beaten egg. Mix. Add butter and combine. Knead by hand until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. After that, punch the dough down and make a round ball and allow to rise for 10 minutes longer.
Now take the ball and roll out with a rolling pin until you get a large square 11 x 11 inch and 1/8 thick.
Cut the dough into strips – 1/2 inch width.
Weave your lattice design on a piece of oiled parchment paper.
Lightly grease the top of the 7 inch diameter metal bowl (use butter or cooking spray). Now transfer the paper with the latticed dough into the metal bowl. Trim any excess dough.
Place the remaining 1/2 inch width long strips around the edge (rim) of the dough basket.
Now place bowl on a greased baking tray and allow to rise for 35 minutes. Brush the remaining beaten egg over the basket.
Bake at 200C for 20 minutes. Check after 15 minutes – if basket is browning too quickly cover with foil.
When basket is completely golden brown remove from oven. After cooled, remove bread basket from the bowl.
Serve with butter or jam.
Enjoy.
                                               
  

Monday, August 1, 2011

Homemade Steamed Vegetable Buns



Welcome!
I am stella from Sri lanka
                                                    


                         
                       
               
             
       
* FOR THE DOUGH:
* 250 grams Bread Flour
* 6 grams Sugar
* 5 grams Yeast, Active Dry
* ½ teaspoons Salt To Taste
* 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
* 130 milliliters Water
* _____
* FOR THE FILLING:
* 2 drops Food Coloring -yellow
* 2 drops Food Coloring -green
* 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
* 1 Tablespoon Garlic Chopped
* 2 Tablespoons Red Onion, Chopped
* 75 grams Carrot (cut Into Small Slices)
* 50 grams Leeks (cut Into Small Slices)
* 100 grams Prepared Or Left Over Mashed Potatoes
* ½ teaspoons Salt To Taste
* ¼ teaspoons Pepper
* 6 sticks Cinnamon (1 Inch Sized Sticks), For Decorating


Preparation Instructions


For the buns:
Sift the flour. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Mix well about 1 minute. Pour in olive oil and water. Mix well. Now clean your dry working surface and knead by hand about 10 minutes.


Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.


Now, take 2 drops of yellow food color(use your fingers) and mix into the dough. Then take 2 drops of green food color (use your finger) and mix into the dough.


Make 6 round apple sized balls of dough and allow them to rise for 10 minutes .


Now take each ball and roll out with a rolling pin until you get a disk (3-inch diameter and 1/4-inch thick).


In a pan heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and mix it around until it’s softened. Next add onion, carrots, leeks and mashed potatoes. Mix until onion is softened and everything is heated through. Add pepper and salt. Mix well.


Now place a tablespoon full of filling mixture in the middle of each dough disk and then wrap the dough around it and cover it from all sides with the dough. Then, pinch them to close.


Place pinched side down on top of oiled parchment paper or baking paper. Then stick a cinnamon stick into the top of buns. I’ve done this in the photo above.


Place buns in a steamer and steam over a pan of boiling water for about 10 minutes. When the apple buns are cooked, remove from the steamer and place on a dish.Serve warm. Enjoy
                                                    
                                                  
                                                           








                                                 






                                                    

                                                  

                                                           
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Sunday, May 8, 2011

Homemade Cupcakes

 Welcome!                                                 

I am stella from Sri lanka.
Everyone loves cupcakes. They are small but wonderfully sweet. Try this recipe.

 
                                                                                     










                                                                                                              
  • 100 grams Cake Flour, Sifted
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 50 grams Butter
  • 4 whole Eggs (separated)
  • 150 grams Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1 container Frosting, 16 Ounce Tub, Or Your Favorite Recipe
  • Optional Decorations, Sprinkles, Etc

Preparation Instructions

Sift the flour and baking powder three times.
Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Let cool.
Separate the egg whites and yolks. Beat egg whites until they become white and frothy. Add sugar to the whites, little by little and continue beating until sugar dissolves.
Next add the egg yolks to the egg white mixture and beat about 5 minutes. After that, add in the dry ingredients, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix well using a rubber spatula.
Now line a cupcake tin or muffin tin with paper cups. Pour batter into cups. Fill to about 2/3 full. Don’t over fill.
Bake at 180 c degrees for about 25 minutes. Cupcakes are ready when the top springs back when you touch it with your finger.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let cool before decorating. When the cupcake is cool, spread butter icing on the top of the cupcakes.
Decorate with flowers. I made them using gum paste. I’ve done this in the photo above.
Serve and enjoy.
                                                                                                                      

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Homemade Fancy Fortune Cookies

   Welcome!

I am stella from Sri lanka.
    



Fortune cookies are a lot of fun to make . And homemade always  tastes better than store bought!Try this recipe.

 

                                    Step By Step Recipe

Ingredients

100grams flour, all-purpose
1/4teaspoon salt to taste
75grams butter chilled
1/2whole egg yolk beaten
1/2whole egg beaten (for egg wash)

Directions

Sift the flour. Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Mix. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Next add approximately 1/2 of the egg yolk . Mix well using your hands. Try to work quickly.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 10 -15 minutes.
Now take the chilled dough and roll out into a 12 inch square that is about 1/8 inch thick, using a rolling pin. Use a cookie cutter and cut out cookies using your favorite cookie cutter shape (the recipe should make about 25, depending on how big your cutter is).
Make flower stem: Next cut the remaining dough into strips – 1/8 inch width and 6 inch long. Fold strip in half and twist strip together. I’ve done this in the photo above.
Lightly butter a baking tray and then line with oiled or baking sprayed parchment paper. Place the flower stems onto the baking tray.
Next brush the egg wash on top of the stem.Take a flower cookie and place on the top of the stem. Now make one hole on the top of flower using a toothpick.
Brush the egg on top of the flowers and stems.
Bake about 15 minutes at 200 c degrees or until the crust is golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool.
Take a small strip of paper and write your fortune and connect it to the cookie with a piece of string threaded through the hole that you made in the flower. After that decorate.
Enjoy.

 

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Homemade Flower Cookies

I am stella from Sri lanka
Homemade Flower Cookies

Super easy to make and lots of fun for kids. They are very easy to make!

                                                

                             

60grams butter
40grams sugar
1teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2teaspoons baking powder
15tablespoons strawberry jam
1whole egg beaten
150grams flour, all-purpose

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 C degrees.
Mix baking powder and flour, sift well.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar, beat well .
Add 1/2 of the beaten egg and vanilla, beat well. Then, mix in the flour mixture. It will be stiff so you may want to stir with a wooden spoon.
Cover the dough and refrigerate for one hour or until easy to handle.
On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness using a rolling pin.
You need three cookie cutters for this (one flower shaped cookie cutter that is about 2 -1/2 inches across, the second needs to be a circle that is about 1 inch across, and the third should be a circle that is about 3/4 inch across).
Using the flower shaped cookie cutter, cut 15 cookies. Next using the second round shaped cookie cutter, cut 15 more round cookies. After that, take the round cookies and cut a round shape out of the middle of that cookie using the third cutter. Now separate the middle, smallest size round.
Next brush the medium sized cookie circle with some of the remaining beaten egg, then place that over the top of the flower cookie.
Place cookies in a greased muffin tray. Place one tablespoon of jam in the middle of the inner circle of each cookie. Bake 8 minutes until light golden. I have done this in the photo above.
Serve and enjoy.




                              
                                           

                                   



Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Homemade Birthday Gift for Kids

   I am Stella From SriLanka.

Homemade Birthday Gift for Kids

Birthday are always happening year round.There are many items that you can give as gifts.But homemade gift is very special.It is tasty and nutritious gift for a kids party.

                                                 

  • FOR THE DOUGH:
  • 100 grams Flour, All Purpose
  • ¼ teaspoons Salt To Taste
  • 50 grams Butter, Chilled
  • ½ whole Egg Yolk, Beaten
  • 50 milliliters Water Cooled
  • _____
  • FOR THE FILLING:
  • ½ Tablespoons Olive Oil -Filling
  • ½ teaspoons Garlic Chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon Red Onion, Chopped
  • 50 grams Smoked Salmon, Crumbled
  • 25 grams Mashed Potatoes
  • ¼ teaspoons Black Pepper
  • ½ teaspoons Salt To Taste
  • ½ whole Whole Egg, Beaten

Preparation Instructions

Sift the flour. Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Mix. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Next add approximately 1/2 of the egg yolk and the water. Mix well your hands. Try to work quickly.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 10 -15 minutes.
Now take the chilled dough and roll out into a 12 inch square that is about 1/8 inch thick, using a rolling pin.
Put the greased mold onto a 12inch square pastry sheet. (I made the boat mold out of thick paper. I covered the paper with aluminum foil. Before using a boat mold brush it with butter or coking spray.) Break off pieces of dough and press them into the mold – make sure the dough goes up the sides as well.Then trim off the excess pastry. Prick the base with a fork to prevent air bubbles.
In a pan heat 1/2 table spoon olive oil over medium high heat, add garlic and mix until slightly softened. Next add onion, salmon, and prepared (or leftover) mashed potatoes. Mix until onion is softened and everything is heated through. Add pepper and salt. Mix well.
Place your prepared filling in the pastry ‘boat’. Brush the edges of the pastry with some egg wash then place additional pastry over the top and press down to seal. Now make two holes on the top. Brush the egg on top of the pastry.
Bake about 20 minutes at 200 c degrees or until the crust is golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool.
After that decorate with flags and masts. I’ve done in the photo above.
The flags and masts were made out of pastry dough. You can do this with the extra scraps of dough if you want.
Serve and enjoy.