Sunday Baking - Peanut butter choc chunk cookies - inspired by the ice cream sandwich at Brooklyn bar & restaurant

We had dinner at Brooklyn Bar and eatery - which was AMAZING - but then desert came and we were in HEAVEN - Peanut butter choc chip cookies sandwiched with ice cream and a peanutty caramel sauce. I knew I had to try and make my own...

Ingredients:

115gms butter
70gms white sugar
70gms brown sugar
1 egg
1t Vanilla extract
100gms peanut butter
150gms All purpose flour
1t baking powder
200gms chocolate chopped into chunks

Method:

pre-heat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well combined. beat in vanilla and peanut butter. Sift flour and baking powder onto butter mixture and stir until mixed through. Mix in chocolate. Drop spoonfuls onto baking-parchment lined trays (the bigger the spoonful the bigger the cookie) and bake until golden and smelling delicious!

This recipe is so easy you cannot go wrong!

I was out for the night with my sister and father for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony with cello solo. What an amazing performance! YouTube it, you may recognize parts if you've ever seen The Witches of Eastwick ;-)

Will you be attempting these cookies? 

They are insanely good.

Yesterday I made a Lemon & White chocolate blondies, I have to share with you all... AMAZING.

Happy Baking

♥ Paula Shoe Fiend.

Sunday Baking: Foodgasm Blondies - seriously, stop what youre doing and MAKE THESE NOW! Oreo & Dark Choc chunk White Choc Blondies

LOOK OUT:

Serious foodgasm follows...

Ingredients:

110gms butter melted

100gms White Choc Melted

1 Egg

200gms Icing Sugar

1T vanilla

90 gms All purpose flour

38 gms Cornflour

18 Oreo Cookies cut into large pieces
(the larger the pieces the more "Oreo-ish" your slice)

100 gms Chocolate chopped into chunks

Handful of M&Ms ( I used Pineapple #yum)

Method: 

Melt Butter and White Choc together, cool. Beat egg and vanilla into butter mixture. Stir in flours until JUST combined (don't overmix) Stir in Oreos and Dark choc chunks - there are more goodies than batter - don't worry!

Press into a lined tin and sprinkle over M&Ms. Bake at 170 Celsius for about 30-40 minutes depending on your oven. It is cooked when slightly coloring on top and setting on the edges.

It will still be fudgy on the inside so try not to overbake it (I did ever so slightly and it STILL TASTES AMAZING)

*Drools Obscenely

These blondies are so rich and fudgy and chocolatey,

they may just change your life >:D

I adapted this recipe from Averie Cooks' Original here

because I cannot leave well alone!

Happy Sunday Baking everyone

SERIOUSLY - MAKE THESE!!!

♥ Paula Shoe Fiend.

Sunday Baking - Pear, peach and Almond Tart - not too sweet and just on the right side of rich

Pear and almond tarts are popular and common in the UK - Marks & Spencers do a nice one.

After trying a particularly luscious one in The Barbican kitchen I decided I had to tackle a tart for myself! This recipe is really good as you don't have to blind-bake the pastry case first.  

Ingredients:

Pastry:

170g Plain Flour

85g Butter

30g Caster Sugar

1 Egg

                                              

Filling:

2 Eggs

100 g caster Sugar

Tin of peaches and pears in Juice (400gms approx)

100g Ground Almonds

30g Melted butter

50g Plain Flour Sifted

 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder

Method:

Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the sugar and then use the egg to bind the dough together.  If there is not enough liquid to bind add a drop of water or cold milk. Rest the dough in the fridge for at least an hour before rolling.

Roll out the pastry to line a 20 cm fluted flan tin. Prick the base all over and return to the fridge.

To make the filling whisk the eggs and sugar until pale and light. Fold in the ground almonds then the butter and finally the flour and baking powder.

To assemble the tart put some of the almond nmixture into the pastry case then sit the pears and peaches on top. Fill in the gaps with more almond mixture, this will help protect the fruit during cooking.

Bake at 180c for about 40 mins.

If this seems a strange combination of ingredients I would definitely recommend you give it a try, it's super tasty, not too sweet and just on the right side of rich. Mix up some mascarpone cheese with a touch of vanilla to serve if you like!

Thanks to Christine on Allrecipes UK for the original recipe

Or if your prefer something chocolatey...

.

 The most delicious foodgasm brownies everrrr

Choc drop shortbread

Happy Baking everyone!

♥ Paula Shoe Fiend.

Sunday Baking - Lemon Fudge Coconut Slice - Buttery, sweet, coconutty, lemoney GOOD - the perfect treat

Ingredients:

Base: 125g Butter

         100g Condensed milk

         250g Plain biscuits/cookies - crushed to crumbs.

Melt butter and condensed milk together and stir through crumbs.  Press into 6x6 inch lined tin.

Topping:

192g Icing sugar

1/4cup milk

15g butter (I actually forgot this!)

pinch salt

30g Coconut

Zest of 2 lemons

Melt sugar, milk, butter and salt together in a saucepan.  Bring to the boil and boil until the soft ball stage* is reached.  Add coconut and zest and beat till thick.  Pour onto base and chill.  Cut into small squares and EAT - YUM!

* Drop a dollop of mixture into a glass of cold water, if you can roll it into a ball it's ready (112-116 degrees Celsius)

This is seriously yummy - so buttery and sweet and lemoney - try it!
Happy baking.

Have a great Sunday Everyone.

♥ Paula Shoe Fiend.

Sunday Baking - Cashew & choc drop cookies

Cashews + White choc + milk Choc = HEAVEN

I adapted this recipe from the trusty NZ stalwart of baking "The Edmonds Cookery Book'.  Their one had peanuts and no chocolate - obvs a serious oversight.

Ingredients:

125g Butter

1T Golden Syrup

110g Brown Sugar

1t Vanilla extract

1 egg

192g All Purpose Flour

32g Cornflour

1/2C Cashews Chopped

1/2C Chocolate (I used White choc and milk choc)

Method:

Gently melt butter and golden syrup.  Stir in sugar and vanilla.  Allow to cool.  Lightly beat egg and stir into mixture.  Sift dry ingredients together and add to syrup mixture alternatively with nuts and chocolate.  Allow mixture to cool completely then roll into balls and bake on lined trays at 170 Celsius for 12-15 mins until golden and crispy.

These cookies are soft and chewy and so yummy.  A little different to your usual choc chip cookie method.

Sure to rise

Other baking exploits you may like to re-visit:

Choc Drop Shortbread

Spice Crisps

Happy baking peeps

♥ Paula Shoe Fiend.

Sunday Baking - Lemon Slice, super easy but oh so TASTY

Inspired by my fav cafe's $4.50 version

I think you will agree that $4.50 is a little steep for something sweet,

but my version maybe cost me $2 for the WHOLE THING! I made this whole thing up as I went along - but my GOSH it is delish!

Ingredients:

Base: 125g Butter

         100g Condensed milk

         250g Plain biscuits/cookies - crushed to crumbs.

Melt butter and condensed milk together and stir through crumbs.  Press into 6x6 inch lined tin.

Topping: 192g Icing sugar                                      * Drop a dollop of mixture into a glass of 

              1/4cup milk                                                cold water, if you can roll it into a ball

              15g butter (I actually forgot this!)               it's ready.

              pinch salt

              30g Coconut

              Zest of 2 lemons

Melt sugar, milk, butter and salt together in a saucepan.  Bring to the boil and boil till the soft ball stage* is reached.  Add coconut and zest and beat till thick.  Pour onto base and chill.  Cut into small squares and EAT - YUM!

Ps, I took the picture with my Granna's teaset - do you like?

The teacups are so TINY!

♥ Paula Shoe Fiend.