Happy Deepavali 2009

This year is a special Deepavali to me as I get to celebrate it for the first time in my own place after marriage. Though busy at work, I still managed to make some festive delicacies.

Clockwise from top: Ghee Balls, Achi Muruku, Pineapple Jam Tarts & Muruku
Centre from left to right: Blackforest Cookies, Orange Cookies & Custard Cookies

Wishing Hindus Thoughout The Globe a Very Happy & Prosperous Deepavali

Weekend Baking Session # 26

After such a long gap, I am so glad that I could continue with our Weekend Baking Session. Besides the traditional delicacies, Malaysians and Singaporeans bake cookies for their respective festivals. Therefore, I would like to share a cookie, one of my favourite, which I baked for Deepavali. Despite not feeling well, I still fought with myself to bake them. Though I could not bring the Deepavali spirit that we experience back home, I wanted to create a different environment than any other day.

This is a slightly different kind of cookie. Icebox cookie also known as refrigerator cookie is a type of cookie that is made by forming the dough into a log or a rectangle or a cylindrical block and chilling until firm, for 12 or more hours. This stiffens the dough, making them easier to slice them into rounds or squares. After they have been sliced, the cookie dough is then baked in a moderate oven. When baked, icebox cookies are buttery and usually thin and crispy, showing off a bit of a chew inside, especially when just baked.

Icebox cookies are a great prepare-ahead-of-time dough because it can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for a month or so. Then, cookies can be cut and baked at any time, even if directly from the freezer.

We could use any dried fruits for this cookie. I have used a combo of dried cranberries, raisins, candied pineapples, dried apricot and glazed cherries in this cookie. I have also used desiccated coconut as a main ingredient to create a light and crispy texture.

Tutti-Frutti Cookies

What do we need:

1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup mixed dried fruits

How do we do it:

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat again. Stir in flour mixture, coconut and mixed fruits. Mix until dough forms.

Divide the dough into 2 portions. Shape into rolls and wrap them in wax paper or cling film. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Slice the dough logs into thin slices with a serrated knife. Bake them at 175° C for 10 to 12 minutes or until pale golden.

Remove and let cool on wire rack.

Weekend Baking Session # 23

I just realised that I have not baked cookies for our Weekend Baking Session. Therefore, this week I have baked the most famous and/or the most loved cookie in the world. Need I say more? Yes, it is Chocolate Chip Cookie. I have added an extra dose of chocolate in the form of chunks as well. Hence, it is double chocolatey!!!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie

What do we need:

1 cup plain flour
1 cup ground oatmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chocolate chunks

How do we do it:

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the ground oatmeal. Set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla essence. Add the flour mixture gradually. Gently stir in the chocolate chips and chunks.

Shape dough into 1” balls, place on a greased or lined baking sheet and flatten slightly. Bake at 190° C for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and cool on wire rack.

Nibbles For My Toddler # 3

Oatmeal is one of the most popular cereal grain. It was once the staple food of Scotland. High in carbohydrates, oats also provide protein, fat, calcium, iron, and B vitamins. It lowers bad cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Iniatially, oatmeal was just popular as porridge. Then, later was introduced in baking too, such as breads, cakes and cookies. It is the main ingredient in müesli. When I was in college, I almost lived on oatmeal. Even while working, back home, I had instant oatmeal porridge as my breakfast most of the time. It is indeed very filling. Been such a long time since I had oats but Mahisha do not like porridges. So, I decided to bake oatmeal cookies for her. I am incorporating some raisins to it as raisins and oatmeal are perfect partners.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

What do we need:




3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar (or as desired)
1 egg
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins

How do we do it

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla essence. Add the flour gradually. Stir in oats and raisins.

Shape dough into 1” balls, place on a greased or lined baking sheet and flatten slightly. Bake at 165° C until lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Remove and cool on wire rack.


Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: crunchy, delicious and healthy.

Nibbles For My Toddler # 1

My daughter, Mahisha, loves biscuits as her snack. I do not prefer buying commercially baked biscuits for her. So, I always bake my own little biscuits for her. I feel satisfied when I see her enjoy biting them. The last batch of biscuits has finished and she wanted more. I make sure I do not repeat the same kind of biscuits. Was wondering of what other variety to bake. Checked out my pantry and found that I have 2 packets of apricots. This time, I wanted to bake something quite similar to rock buns but a softer version. After spinning my brain for a while, came up with a new recipe. The simplest possible as I did had much time to sit on it for a few hours.

Apricot Cookies



What do we need:

1 cup plain flour
1 cup chopped apricots
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ground almond
3 tbsp apricot preserve
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence/flavouring
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

How do we do it:

First of all, soak the apricot in warm water for a while to soften it. U can also use those soft type of apricots as well. Pat dry them with kitchen towel and chop them finely.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Make a hole in the middle, add the rest of the ingredients except for the chopped apricots. With a mixer, beat for 1 minute. If u do not have a mixer, use a hand whisk and beat for 5 minutes. Now, fold in the chopped apricots.

Drop the dough by teaspoonful on a baking sheet. I did it with just half a teaspoon to make little ones. Bake in a preheated oven at 180° C for 10 - 12 minutes. This recipe yields 85 tiny little pieces.



I prefer using brown sugar to normal white sugar as the former is less sweet than the latter. I have also minimised the sugar usage as the apricot preserve and the apricots are sweet enough. Added the apricot preserve for extra apricot taste. The purpose of using the almond meal is to give the buns a fuller shape.

Mahisha likes the cookies. Well, not just her, hubby and I too love them. Looks like I will have to bake more of them again.