Xmas Cookie time!

Last Thursday I got together with 3 awesome friends to make 4 different kinds of cookies & a toffee/chocolate bark. The day started at noon with yummy lunch of homemade lentil & ham soup (thanks Mo!), right after that we got to work — our cookies to make: Sugar (double recipe), Chocolate-dipped Peanut Butter (double recipe), Gingersnaps & Linzer — a nice mix! We fist made all the batches of dough because they needed to chill for about 1 hr. 

B planned ahead and made the Linzer cookie dough at home, which was great coz they took a while to make. We started cutting them up, making sure we got even number for the tops and bottoms. As you can see the tops get cut on the inside too so the jam comes through. Bianca melted the blackberry jam a bit and topped the bottom cookies, in the meantime, I sprinkled the tops with lots powder sugar. Look how pretty these are!



Then we moved to the Gingersnaps, which where super easy to make. The only thing I did different was adding more sugar on top after they came out of the oven. These cookies are super crispy and taste like the holidays. 

Mo worked her magic on her toffee/choco bark. She learned how to make it at a class she took a few years ago. I just watched her make it — you have to move fast and make sure you have a candy thermometer!

Then was Peanut Butter time, which where also super easy, just had to scoop them, make balls and flat them out a bit. After they cooled I dipped half of each one in chocolate which makes them even more heavenly. 

Mo & B worked on the sugar cookies making them into tons of cute xmas shapes. By this time it was almost 6pm and I had to run, so I took some dough and made & decorated them the day after.
Overall it was a SUPER successful cookie day :) we got a lot done and all the cookies came out fabulous. Thanks to Mo for hosting, B for finding the amazing Linzer recipe and J for helping out and taking pictures. Oh, and of course thanks to little C for being such a good baby. Hope we do this every year!!

Dear Birthday Cake,

Dear Birthday Cake,

I love you SO much. I love making you for my birthday so you can be as decadent as I want you to be. This year you where good... really good. We had you every night for a week and I didn't feel one bit guilty about it. You where a delicious chocolate cake, with 2 layers of peanut butter-cream cheese frosting, topped with a deep, beautiful chocolate glaze. I miss you so much already. Good thing the hubby's birthday is tomorrow, which only means one thing: more birthday cake to make!

CHOCOLATE CAKE (adapted from alpineberry)

INGREDIENTS::

_ 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (1 cup white, 3/4 whole wheat)

_ 2 cups granulated sugar
_ 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
_ 2 teaspoons baking soda
_ 1 teaspoon baking powder
_ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
_ 1/2 cup yogurt & 1/2 cup milk (recipe calls for 1 cup buttermilk)

_ 1/2 cup vegetable oil
_ 2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
_ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
_ 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (or hot water)

DIRECTIONS::

_ Preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans (I used only 1). Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

_Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into bowl. Mix to combine the ingredients. In another bowl, gently whisk together the yogurt, milk, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
_Add the coffee and stir just to combine (carefully because it might splash). Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is well combined.
_Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a knife comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

_NOTE: This batter is really runny—but don't worry—it's supposed to be that way.

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

INGREDIENTS::

_1 1/2 packages of cream cheese, at room temperature

_1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

_4-5 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

_1 cup smooth peanut butter

DIRECTIONS::

_In a large bowl with an electric mixer, bean the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, 1 cup at a time. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl often. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 min. Add the peanut butter and bean until well blended (Makes about 5 cups).

CHOCOLATE CLAZE (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

INGREDIENTS::

_8 oz semisweet chocolate chips

_3 tbsp smooth peanut butter

_2 tbsp light corn syrup

_1/2 cup half-and-alf

DIRECTIONS::

_In top of a bowl set over simmering water, combine chocolate, peanut butter and corn syrup. Whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and whisk the half-and-half until smooth (Makes about 1.5 cups).

ASSEMBLING:

_I recommend making the cake the day before so it's cooled and ready to go.

_Layer the cake with a large serrated knife (I did 2 layers) and spread about 2/3 of the frosting on each layer.

_Crumb coat: I learned this at a cake decorating class I took. This means adding a thin layer of frosting all over your cake so the crumbs don't show at the end. I did this and placed the cake in the fridge for 30 min.

_Frost cake: Add the rest of the frosting to the top of the cake, then with you knife start spreading the frosting to the sides. Once you're done, put the cake in the fridge for another 15 min.

_Chocolate Glaze: Add ALL the glaze on the top of the cake, then slowly spread it to the edges of the cake, letting it fall nicely on the sides.

This cake simply amazing. It takes some time to make but it's worth it. The actual cake is super moist and has a great deep chocolate flavor but it's not overly sweet. The peanut butter frosting is delicious, definitely going to make it again. The glaze totally takes the cake to another level and it makes the cake look even more beautiful.