SRC Cookie Carnival: Savoury Cheese and Paprika Biscuits

December is a holiday month for me for Secret Recipe Club. Luckily Sarah from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes ...and More who is the owner, writer and Group D hostess of the Secret Recipe Club has created a Secret Recipe Club Cookie Carnival. It's similar to our usual Secret Recipe Club assignments where we each get assigned a blog in secret. The only difference is that we have to choose a cookie recipe to post today. 

My assignment is Searching for Spice which is written by Corina who loves cooking, reading and writing about food. She loves using spices which is how her blog name came about. She has a wide range of recipes on her blog from sweet to savoury and most of them include spices. Luckily she has quite a few cookies recipes on her blog to choose from including Nut and Cranberry Biscuits, chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies.

As I usually make sweet cookies, I decided to opt for something a little different and chose a savoury recipe. I was also intrigued by the flavour of her savoury cheese and paprika biscuits. I'm so glad I decided to make these as they were absolutely delicious and everyone kept asking for more. The cookies really puffed up and tasted very cheesy. The paprika was mild and I would suggest adding more if you prefer although it may detract from the cheese taste. As it's close to Christmas, I decided to use my festive cookie cutters and they turned out beautifully.

 paprika, cheddar cheese, flour, butter and egg 

 lots of grated cheese 

 add egg yolk and paprika 

 the dough is quite crumbly to start with - don't worry just roll it into a ball and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes

 festive savoury cookies

 The penguin is my faovurite 

100g plain flour
50g unsalted butter
150g Cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp paprika
1 egg yolk

• Blitz the flour and butter in a food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs. 
• Add in the grated cheese, egg yolk and paprika.
• Mix until it comes together and forms a dough - it's quite crumbly at this stage.
• Roll into a ball and wrap in clingfilm. 
• Refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 180C. 
• Sprinkle flour on a suitable surface and roll out the dough.
• Cut out shapes using a pastry cutter and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
• Bake for 10 minutes then turn the cookies over and bake for another 5 minutes.
• Allow to cool on a wire rack. 

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Stained Glass Cookies for your Christmas Tree

It's been a busy year and I can't believe that it's almost Christmas! It's the first Christmas in our new house so it's very exciting and we decided to get a real Christmas tree which I've not had before.  We bought a smallish one as we don't have much space and bought a few decorations to go on the tree. I thought the tree looked a little bare so I decided to make my own decorations. I remember making stained glass cookies a few years ago and decided to give it another go. The recipe is one of Mary Berry's which I found online. I had a selection of Christmas cookie cutters and I used a sharp knife to cut out the middle bits. The final result is amazing and it looks really good on our tree especially when it catches the light. You can easily make these in one evening and it will be a great project for the kids. I'm going to try some dried orange slices next to go on the tree. Any other suggestions for homemade Christmas tree decorations? 

I'm sending this to AlphaBakes hosted by Caroline from Caroline Makes and myself on alternate months. The letter this  month is 'X' and Caroline is accepting everything Christmas related. 

These little tree decorations are perfect for Treat Petite hosted by Kat from the Baking Explorer and Stuart from Cakeyboi. The theme this month is Christmas.

They are also perfect for Festive Family Foodies hosted by Vanesther from Bangers & Mash and Louisa from Eat Your Veg.

 I bought a pack of fruit boiled sweets to make the stained glass effect 

 fill the middle with crushed sweets 

 

 Our Christmas tree :) 

Recipe from Mary Berry which I found online

Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

Recently I got a lovely care package from America via a friend. I've already baked with the butterscotch chips and pumpkin puree. This time I am using my all time favourite ingredient peanut butter in the form of Reese's peanut butter chips. The inspiration for this recipe comes from Alexandra from The Lass in the Apron. She made these Everyday Double Chocolate Cookies for AlphaBakes which I immediately bookmarked. I've put my own twist on the recipe and they were absolutely amazing. The cookies were crunchy particularly with the crispy cornflakes. It was the perfect balance between sweet and salty and I particularly liked that the peanut butter chips did not melt after baking. You get a really intense chocolate hit with the crunchiness and slight saltiness of cornflakes and peanut butter. I can't wait to try different variations of this versatile recipe. 

I'm entering this to AlphaBakes hosted this month by Caroline from Caroline Makes and co-hosted by myself on alternate months. The letter is P for Peanut Butter.

I'm also entering this Bookmarked Recipes hosted by Jacqueline from Tinned Tomatoes. I bookmarked this recipe back in May 2014 and have finally gotten round to making it.

 cream butter and sugars together until you get a pale golden mixture 

 adding peanut butter chips 

 adding cornflakes 

 ready to go in the oven - don't worry if the mixture is a little crumbly 

 delicious! 

Recipe adapted from The Lass in the Apron

113g butter

100g light brown sugar 

70g caster sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons water (use 1 tablespoon at a time)

215g plain flour

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

45g cornflake cereal

283g peanut butter chips (1 bag) 

• Preheat the oven to 180C
• Cream the butter and sugars together until smooth. 
• Add vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of water. 
• (Alexandra advises that you leave the mixture to stand for at least 10 mins to help develop the butterscotch notes but I skipped this as I was short on time) 
• Mix in the flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda. 
• If necessary, add in the remaining tablespoon of water. The dough will be quite soft and sticky. 
• Add in the peanut butter chips and mix with a spatula.
• Finally stir in the cornflakes. 
• Place a small ice cream scoop of dough spaced apart on a baking tray. Don't worry if the mixture is a little crumbly - just press it firmly into a ball and it will stick together.
• Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until cooked.
• Allow to cool on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  

Chewy Butterscotch Blondies

Baking is back in full swing at The More Than Occasional Baker. It was nice to have a little break from the kitchen but it's equally nice to be back. I got a lovely selection of goodies from America recently which includes a bag of butterscotch chips. I've previously baked cakes and cookies with them so I thought about doing something a little different. There is a recipe on the back of the pack for Chewy Butterscotch Brownies so I decided to give it a go. However, I can't call these brownies as there's no chocolate in sight. Instead I've renamed them blondies.

As the title suggests they are chewy in texture with a lovely crunchy top. The butterscotch worked really well with the brazil nuts but I'm sure pecans will work just as well. This is a really simple treat to make and will be perfect for school fairs, picnics, days out or as a treat for yourself!

I'm entering this to Tea Time Treats hosted by Karen from Lavender and Lovage and co hosted by Jane from Hedgecombers. The theme this month is Picnic Food and Picnic Treats. These are perfect for picnics as you can make them in advance,they are easy to transport and they are individually portioned. 

I'm also entering this to Blogger Bakespiration Challenge hosted by Stuck In The Tree.

 adding butterscotch chips and Brazil nuts

 ready to go in the oven

 slightly crispy edges! 

 delicious! 

Recipe adapted slightly from Nestle Tollhouse

312g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
225g butter
280g brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
100g brazil nuts (or any nut)
312g butterscotch chips (1 pack)

• Preheat the oven to 180C. 
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
• Add in the flour, baking powder and vanilla extract.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time mixing well between each addition.
• Finally stir in the butterscotch chips and walnuts.
• Pour into a baking tray and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 
• Allow to cool completely before slicing. 

Daim Cookies

This month's AlphaBakes hosted by Caroline from Caroline Makes is the letter "D". J immediately thought of Daim/Dime bars which I've not thought about before even for the first round of AlphaBakes. I love eating Daim bars and they always remind me of trips to Ikea. 

I debated about making a cheesecake or a brownie but in the end settled for a cookie. It's a simple sugar cookie recipe with a piece of Daim chocolate pressed in the middle. I was surprised that the chocolate did not melt when the cookies were baked and that they retained their shape. The cookie has a crisp edge and a soft centre and the Daim piece gave the perfect balance of crunch and flavour. 

I'm sending this to AlphaBakes hosted by Caroline from Caroline Makes and co hosted by myself. The letter this month is D. 

I'm also sending it to Family Foodies hosted by Louisa from Eat Your Veg and Vanesther from Bangers and Mash. The theme this month is Barbecues, Picnics and Outdoor Eating and these would be perfect for any of those occasions.

 

225g unsalted butter, softened
175g caster sugar
110g brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
450g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
40 - 50 mls milk
Daim chocolate pieces (or you can use smarties or M&M's)

• Beat together the sugars and butter until pale and fluffy. 
• In a separate bowl, use a whisk to beat together the vanilla and eggs. 
• Gradually transfer this egg mixture to the creamed mixture, beating between each addition. This will prevent the mixture from curdling. 
• Over this mixture, sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
• Gradually add the milk and stir until soft dough forms (be careful not to add too much milk or dough will be too sticky). 
• Leave in fridge for 20 minutes, covered. (You can skip this step if you are short on time) 
• Preheat the oven to 180C. 
• Remove the dough from the fridge and place a small ice cream scoop of dough spaced apart on the baking trays. 
• Press a Daim chocolate piece in the middle of each cookie and press gently. 
• Bake for 8-9 minutes or until they are golden brown, but still slightly soft. They will harden slightly upon cooling. 
• If you want a crunchier cookie, then cook for longer until brown and rather firm to touch when removed from oven.
• Allow to cool on a wire rack completely before storing. 

SRC: Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

It's the fourth Monday of the month which means that it's Secret Recipe Club Group D Reveal day! I love the Secret Recipe Club and look forward to reveal day every month. The concept is simple each blog is assigned another blog in secret and the idea is that you choose a recipe to make from your secret blog and reveal it on the same day.

My assignment this month is I am a Honey Bee written by Nicole or Nic as she is better known from Boston. You can read more about her here including 28 random things about her! Her blog is about cooking, crafts and life in general. There is a mixure of recipes, craft projects, dining out, family updates and more. It's definitely worth a read. 

As usual, I had difficulty choosing just one recipe as there were so many I wanted to make. However, this chocolate chip cookie bar caught my eye. I love chocolate chip cookies and this looked like a better version. Plus I wanted to try out my individual brownie pan which I've had for ages but have never used until now. I couldn't find any colourful chocolate chips here so I used a mixture of dark, milk and white chocolate chips and some coloured confetti sprinkles. I brought them to work for an event and they were very well received. The bars were crispy and you could definitely taste the different chocolate chips. The confetti added a fun burst of colour and they were all eaten within a short space of time. 

Other recipes that I've bookmarked to try are Andes Mint Chip Brownies, Bacon Jalapeno Cornbread, Monkey Bread and Super Rich Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting. 

 adding the chocolate chips and confetti sprinkles

 My new individual brownie pan 

 fresh from the oven 

 Each bar has a crisp edge 

 You can see the different chocolate chips and the coloured confetti sprinkles

Recipe adapted very slightly from I am a Honey Bee 

280g plain flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

226g butter

165g caster sugar

150g brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

100g dark chocolate chips

100g milk chocolate chips

100g white chocolate chips

1 x box of coloured confetti sprinkles

• Preheat the oven to 180C.
• Cream the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 
• Add in the vanilla extract.
• Beat in the flour and bicarbonate of soda.
• Finally stir in the chocolate chips and confetti sprinkles.
• Divide evenly into a greased individual brownie tin (or you can use a square tin) and bake for approximately 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown. 

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