Cooookies! :D

You guys should reeeeeeely try out these cookies! Good luck!

Ingredients

• 4 oz (ounce) bittersweet chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
• 5 oz (ounce) all-purpose flour
• 1 oz (ounce) cocoa powder (sieved)
• 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• ½ teaspoon(s) salt
• 4 oz (ounce) butter (soft)
• 3 oz (ounce) soft light brown sugar
• 2 oz (ounce) white sugar
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 medium egg(s) (cold from the fridge)
• 12 oz (ounce) bittersweet chocolate chips (or semi sweet chocolate morsels)
  
• Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Melt the 125g dark chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof dish over a pan of simmering water.

1. Put the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl.
2. Cream the butter and sugars in another bowl. (I use my freestanding mixer, itself an odd source of comfort to me.) Add the melted chocolate and mix together.
3. Beat in the vanilla extract and cold egg, and then mix in the dry ingredients. Finally stir in the chocolate morsels or chips.
4. Scoop out 12 equal-sized mounds - an ice cream scoop and a palette knife are the best tools for the job - and place on a lined baking sheet about 6cm apart. Do not flatten them.
5. Cook for 18 minutes, testing with a cake tester to make sure it comes out semi-clean and not wet with cake batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.
6. Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.
   

Fondant!

Your right! Fondant is not a part of baking.. But its a deco for your bakes! So thought it would be useful for you guys.. So... Here we go!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup

Preparation:

1. Prepare your workstation by setting a large baking sheet on a sturdy counter or table top, and sprinkling it lightly with water.

2. Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then cover the pan and allow the sugar syrup to boil for 2-3 minutes.

3. Remove the lid, and continue to cook the syrup, without stirring, until it reaches 240 degrees Fahrenheit (115 C).

4. Pour the sugar syrup onto the prepared baking sheet. Allow it to sit at room temperature for several minutes. After 2-3 minutes, lightly touch the syrup with a fingertip. When it is warm but not hot, it is ready to be worked.

5. Dampen a metal spatula or dough scraper with water, and use the scraper to push the syrup into a pile in the middle of the sheet.

6. Using a dampened plastic spatula or wooden spoon, begin to “cream,” or work, the fondant in a figure-8 pattern. Continually scrape the fondant into the center, draw a figure-8, then scrape it together again. At first the fondant will be very clear and fluid, but it will gradually become more opaque and creamy. After 5-10 minutes, the fondant will become very stiff, crumbly, and hard to manipulate.

7. Once the fondant reaches this state, moisten your hands and begin kneading it into a ball like bread dough. As you knead, the fondant will begin to come together and will get softer and smoother. Stop kneading once your fondant is a smooth ball without lumps.

8. At this point, your fondant can be used for melting and pouring. If you want to make flavored fondant candies, it is best to “ripen” your fondant for at least 12 hours to obtain the best flavor and texture. To ripen the fondant, place it in an airtight plastic container, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the fondant, and seal the lid on tightly. Ripen the fondant at room temperature, or if it is hot, in the refrigerator. After ripening, the fondant can be flavored, rolled, and shaped in whatever manner you wish. If it is stiff, you can always knead it by hand on a surface dusted with powdered sugar, until it is easy to manage. This recipe produces about 3/4 lb fondant.

Oreo Madness! :p

These Oreo cupcakes will knock your socks off!

YIELD: 24 CUPCAKES

ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour, plus 2 Tbsp for the Oreo chunks
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 pkg Oreo Cookies (~45 cookies)
double batch of cream cheese frosting

directions:

For the Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.

Twist apart 24 Oreos. Place the wafer with filling on it, filling side up, in the bottom of each paper liner. Cut other wafers in half. Save 24 halves to place in the frosting. Crush the other wafer halves, also for garnishing.

Cut the remaining Oreo cookies into quarters with a sharp knife. Toss with 2 Tbsp flour and set aside.

In a large bowl cream the butter until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and mix to combine.

In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix until integrated. Stir in sugar. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat for 30 seconds. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg whites. Beat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the quartered cookies.

Fill the cupcake lines three-quarters full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan.

Assemble the cupcakes
Once cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with crushed Oreos and place 1/2 of an Oreo on the frosting of each cupcake.

Millys basic cupcakes! ;)

Ingredients:

Yield:
20-25
cupcakes Units: US | Metric
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar (if you like your cupcakes very sweet, add a little more.)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional)
Directions:

1
preheat oven to 375f or 170c; line muffin cups with papers.
2
cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. beat in eggs one at a time.
3
add flour (mixed with baking powder and salt) alternating with milk beat well; stir in vanilla.
4
divide evenly among pans and bake for 18 minutes. let cool in pans.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/simple-vanilla-cupcakes-178370?oc=linkback