Chocolate Dipped Scottish Shortbread

Shortbread....is one of my favourite cookies..and I am making some melted chocolate as the coating for my shortbread today.

Ingredients:

Conversion calculator for measurement-->http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/tools.measures/Measures.cfm

2 cups (260g) all purpose flour

1/4 tsp (2g) salt

1 cup (2 sticks or 226g)unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (60g) confectioners sugar

1 tsp (4g) pure vanilla extract

For chocolate dipped shortbread:

6 ounces (180g) semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions:

1.In a large bowl, sieve the flour, mix with salt and set aside.

2. In the bowl of electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute).

3. Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes).

4. Beat in the vanilla extract.

5. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated.

6. Shape the dough into two logs, and wrap them in wax paper.

7. Chill the dough for at least one hour.

8. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) with the rack in the middle of the oven.

9. If logs are frozen, let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Slice the logs into thin slice cookies. Place cookies 1 inch apart on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets (I am using nonstick silicone baking mat).

10. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

For chocolate dipped shortbread:

1. Place 3 ounces (90g) of the finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place it over a saucepan of simmering water.

2. Once the chocolate has melted, remove it from the heat. Add the remaining chocolate and stir with a spoon until it has completely melted and is smooth and glossy.

3. Taking one cookie at a time, dip one end of each cookies in the melted chocolate and place it on a parchment lined baking sheet.

4. Once all the cookies have been dipped into the chocolate, place the baking sheets n the refrigerator for about 10minutes, or until the chocolate has hardened.

Bought a new kitchen scale...

The dough..

Dough is frozen in the freezer, for easier cutting...

Baking..

Melted Ghirardelli chocolate...

Shortbread goes well with a cup of hot coffee...

Dear John....

Dear John, tell me everything. Write it all down, scribble it in a notebook. Type it out, email it to me... I don't care, but I wanna know everything. Then we'll be with each other all the time, even if we're not with each other at all..

I love this quote, simple yet meaningful...I love the movie, it is so touching....and I love this song...

I love this place

But it's haunted without you

My tired heart

Is beating so slow

Our hearts sing less

Than we wanted

We wanted

Our hearts sing 'cause

We do not know

we do not know

To light the night

To help us grow

To help us grow

It is not said

I always know

You can catch me

Don't you run

Don't you run

If you live another day

In this happy little house

The fire's here to stay

To light the night

To help us grow

To help us grow

It is not said

I always know

Please don't make a fuss

It won't go away

The wonder of it all

The wonder that I made

I am here to stay

I am here to stay

Stay

Vanilla CuppyCakes with Frosting

It is weekend, and the gang will gather for board game and wiiiiii...

So, thought of making some cupcakes for the tea break.

I like cupcakes, but just cupcake, without topping...I always think the topping/frosting is too sweet. Today I am making vanilla cupcakes with vanilla butter cream frosting, because I thought other people might prefer some toppings on top. So I reduce the amount of sugar, for both the cupcakes and the frosting, just want to make sure it is not too sweet....

Ingredients:

Conversion calculator for measurement-->http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/tools.measures/Measures.cfm

Vanilla Cupcake

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature but not too soft)

1 cup sugar (I use 3/4 cup)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup milk

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting

1/4 cup butter

Pinch of salt

2 1/2 cups icing sugar (I use 1 3/4 cups)

4 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

Vanilla Cupcake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Beat sugar and butter at medium speed with stand mixer until creamy and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until yellow disappears after each addition.

4. Beat in vanilla extract.

5. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

6. Beat at medium-low speed just until blended after each addition. The batter will be thick (do not over mix).

7. Line a 12-cupcakes pan with paper cupcakes liners. Fill the liners until 2/3 full.

8. Bake for about 20minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool on rack before frosting.

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting

1. Beat butter, vanilla extract and salt at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy.

2. Gradually add icing sugar and milk, beating at low speed until smooth, creamy and spreadable.

Ingredients for cupcake...

Ingredients for frosting...

And....I am really not good in decorating...