#everydaysweets

Directions

Step 1: preheat the oven at 170 degrees C.

Step 2: mix all the dry ingredients(flour, salt, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder)in a bowl. I want to keep it very simple so you don’t need to use any kitchen robots. 

Step 3(optional): add nuts, raisins or choco chips. I like to also add a tablespoon of rum for a little bit of taste and smell.

Step 3: in a little pot melt the butter and let it cool down. 

Step 4: add the wet ingredients(eggs, milk and cooled melted butter) and mix very well all the ingredients. 

Step 5:  pour into cake pan lined with long baking paper and bake it for 40-45 minutes at 170 degrees C.

Step 5: get it out the oven, let it cool down, slice it into pieces. You can serve it with some icing sugar or coconut flakes on top of it.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with paper cases.

 Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 2-3 mins until it gets pale and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat briefly to combine. 

Gently fold in the flour and just enough milk to make a smooth batter that drops easily off the spoon.(it doesn’t need to be too heavy or too light)

Divide the batter between the cases, then bake at 180 °C  for 20-25 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. 

Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 

Meanwhile, make the buttercream icing. Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 4-5 mins until pale and fluffy.

Swirl the icing over the cooled cupcakes to serve. You can add some decorations if you want( fresh raspberries or strawberries, sugar sprinkles or grated chocolate, caramel sauce or maple syrup).

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, salt, and butter until a paste forms with no lumps.

Whisk in the egg and vanilla, beating until light ribbons fall off the whisk and remain for a short while before falling back into the mixture.

Sift in the flour and baking soda, then fold the mixture with a spatula (Be careful not to overmix, which would cause the gluten in the flour to toughen resulting in cakier cookies).

Fold in the chocolate chunks, then chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. For a more intense toffee-like flavor and deeper color, chill the dough overnight. The longer the dough rests, the more complex its flavor will be.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Scoop the dough with an ice-cream scoop onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving at least 10 cm of space between cookies and 5 cm  of space from the edges of the pan so that the cookies can spread evenly.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges have started to barely brown.

Cool completely before serving.

Enjoy!

Ingredients for the dough

1/2 cup flour, spooned and leveled

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp.sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, cut up

1/4 cup ice water

Ingredients for the filling 

1large egg, beaten

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1 1/2 cup fresh chopped strawberries

1 1/4 cup fresh raspberries

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

Pinch  salt

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

Whisk together flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in butter until it resembles coarse meal with several pea-size pieces remaining. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, using a fork to pull dough together into a crumbly pile (add up to an additional 2 tablespoons of water if needed).

Divided dough into two piles; wrap each in plastic wrap. Use the plastic to flatten and press dough into disks. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours.

Bring dough to room temperature and roll out on a counter or cutting board lightly dusted with flour. 

Roll dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1 cm thickness. Using the stencil cut out 4 circles. Repeat with remaining piecrust.

 Shape scraps into a 0,5 cm-thick disk. Roll disk on a lightly floured work surface to 1 cm-inch thickness. 

Cut out stars with cookie cutters, rerolling scraps as necessary. 

Transfer dough rounds to pie tins; fold edges under to align with the rim of the tin. 

Place pie tins and stars on a baking sheet. Brush edges of dough and stars with egg and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Chill 30 minutes.

 Heat oven to 375°F.

 Toss blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cornstarch, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. 

Let sit, tossing occasionally, until juicy, 8 to 10 minutes.

Fill piecrusts with the fruit mixture (about 1/2 cup each). Place stars on pies as desired. Bake until fruit is bubbling and crust is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.

 Serve warm with ice cream.