This delicious basic cookie recipe is nothing more or less than a shortbread recipe. And you can make lots of different, delicious cookies from it. Read on and I will tell you all about my love for these Dutch sand cookies (Zandkoekjes as we call them) and give you my baking tips.
Let me first start by explaining why the Dutch call shortbread cookies, sand cookies. It’s not surprising really if you think about it. Sand cookies crumble easily and the texture of the cookie is more or less similar to sand or a sandy texture. And that’s all there is to the name of sand cookies/zandkoekjes.
Maybe you have heard of Pennsylvania Dutch sand tarts before. These are essentially the same as Dutch sand cookies but are made into a very thin variation which makes them extra crisp. Many times something is pressed in the center of each cookie as well or there is a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top of the cookies. The recipe below makes for thicker cookies but if you want to make the Pennsylvania Dutch sand cookies you roll it out very thinly and bake for about 8-10 minutes instead of the 16 minutes I give below.
Perhaps my favorite basic recipe: shortbread cookies! I can fill a day baking (and eating!) all kinds of shortbread cookies. I’m also never short of inspiration and always come up with new recipes. Often based on this basic crispy cookie recipe.
You can really go either way with this base. Use cocoa powder for quick chocolate cookies or add chocolate chips for deliciously crunchy chocolate chip cookies. Or maybe you want to add dried fruit to the shortbread dough? Turn them into Christmas cookies, cut out cookies or whatever other cookie you prefer.
I have so many different cookies I made already using this basic recipe for Dutch sand cookies and you will soon find many more! These cranberry orange thumbprint cookies are just an example of what is to come!
What kind of delicious cookies will you make with this basic recipe?
For making these crisp cookies you need just a few simple ingredients. Make sure they are all at room temperature before you start baking.
And that’s all there is to it in terms of ingredients. In addition you will need (optionally) a cookie cutter, parchment paper, some plastic wrap and for storing them after baking an airtight container.
Now to make these simple cookies you start by creaming the butter, sugar and the vanilla sugar. This is easiest with an electric mixer. Add the egg yolk and mix well. Add flour and salt and knead until you have a firm dough. Wrap this in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour. Take the chilled dough out of the fridge and shape into little balls. This is easiest done on a lightly floured surface. You can bake them like this or add a pecan half or another nut of choice on top of each cookie for an extra crunchy effect. I like to simply make an indent with a fork. But you can make these sand cookies into any kind of shape you like.
Place the cookies on a baking sheet or greased cookie sheet and bake the cookies for about 16 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly brown. Take out of the oven and let them cool for a bit before transferring to a wire rack or cooling rack to cool completely. Keep in mind that the cookies will crisp up once they cool.
Make them into ice cream sandwiches by adding ice cream or shape them into reindeer for the holiday season. Or decorate them with icing and Christmas sprinkles for some more holiday cheer.
The dough of these cookies is also great for rolling out and then using cutters to make all sorts of shapes. Remember that this dough will expand a little in the oven. Want cookies that hold their shape really well? Make my recipe for sugar cookies.
It is important to mix the butter and sugar long enough (a few minutes, then it will be paler and most of the sugar will have dissolved) and to let the dough rest long enough in the fridge so that the shortbread does not expand too much.
Baking cookies is one of my favorite activities, so I have a lot of tips in this area. I will briefly highlight some of the most important ones here, but would you like to read more? Then read this comprehensive article with tips on how to bake perfect cookies.
Does your dough feel (too) sticky and unworkable? Try adding extra sifted flour in small increments (per tablespoon).
If your dough is on the dry side, knead it by hand first. The warmth of your hand will usually soften the butter in the dough and make it more pliable. Doesn’t work? Then add a small knob of butter and knead it in.
Perhaps one of the most frequently asked questions about cookie baking is why do cookie doughs need to rest in the fridge? Because it helps the flavor and texture! So don’t skip this step and read the article on why chilling the dough is really important.
Does your cookie dough often stick to your rolling pin when you try to roll it out? Of course, you can dust it with flour again, but to prevent your cookies from becoming ‘floury’, I have another solution: roll out the cookie dough between two sheets of baking paper.
Rolling out cookie dough evenly can also be a problem. Luckily, there are very handy rolling pins with rubber bands of the ideal thickness to ensure that your cookie dough is equally thin everywhere.
Yes, you can store shortbread dough. Wrap it in cling film and it will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can store it in the freezer for up to three months. It may be a good idea to make a roll of dough in advance so that you can cut it straight from the freezer. Freezing the unbaked cookies is also an option. You can then bake cookies straight from the freezer.
Italian meringue is used in a lemon meringue pie, as a filling in various desserts, or as a topping on other pastries. This recipe makes it easy to make your own!
One of the most famous recipes featuring Italian meringue is probably the lemon meringue pie. That lovely crumbly cookie base, delicious lemon curd and a topping of Italian meringue. Lightly toasted with a crème brûlée burner/ kitchen torch.
Before I decided to make my own lemon meringue many years ago, I had never made Italian meringue. In fact, making this particular meringue scared me a little. Whenever I start a recipe with sugar syrup or caramel, I always feel that it will be very difficult and that I will fail easily.
Of course, I was worried for nothing. In fact, this Italian meringue is really easy to make. The only thing to remember is not to stir in the pan and to use your sugar thermometer, which will tell you when it’s ready. If you do that you will be allright!
Italian meringue is an egg white foam made with a hot sugar syrup. This sugar syrup is added to the whipped egg whites while it is still piping hot, thus cooking the egg whites. This is why Italian meringue is also called cooked meringue.
Thanks to this method, the foam keeps longer than a french meringue and can be used on cakes, pastries and desserts. The French meringue is generally used in things that need to be baked in the oven. Think pavlova, meringue cookies or crispy meringues.
I will soon tell you more about the different types of meringue!
Apart from the fact that it was a breeze to make, the result was fantastic! Honestly, I have never had such beautiful meringue.
If you take some of the foam between your fingers, you won’t feel any sugar crystals. The sugar dissolves easily due to the temperature of the syrup. The texture of this Italian meringue is super fine and smooth, but also firm. I could put a spoon upright in the foam, shake the bowl and the spoon just stayed in place. So the perfect stiff peaks. It is the most stable of the meringues and perfect for using in raw form.
I could go on and on about the benefits of Italian meringue. For example, you can snack on this meringue with confidence. You don’t have to worry about salmonella from raw egg whites. The sugar syrup has heated the egg whites and killed the bacteria.
This is great for pregnant women, the elderly and children. But also for you, as you can snack on the uncooked meringue 😉.
Making this beautiful meringue is easy. You start by whipping the egg whites with the icing sugar to stiff peaks. Make sure you do not get any of the egg yolks in your egg white mixture as they will make it impossible to get stiff peaks. The same goes for the bowl and the whisk attachment. Make sure they are absolute fat free. Cleaning it with a bit of lemon juice is a good way to make sure it is fat free.
Now is the time to make the sugar syrup. Add the sugar and the water to a small saucepan. Place on medium heat and bring to the boil. Do not stir the mixture! If there is too much sugar on the sides of the bowl use a wet pastry brush to brush it down. Once the sugar mixture has reached the right temperature turn on the food processor at medium speed. Control the mixer speed as you do not want the hot syrup flying around!
Slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the bowl while whisking. Once all is in, turn the machine to it’s highest setting and keep whisking until the foam is cold. The mixing bowl itself will still feel somewhat lukewarm probably but the meringue itself will be cool.
By now I’ve said so many positive things about Italian meringue that you probably can’t wait to start baking with it. Not surprisingly, there are quite a few recipes on Laura’s Bakery that use Italian meringue. So stay tuned for lots more delicious meringue recipes coming up soon. Some of my favorite desserts use Italian meringue. Spoiler alert; they’re not on the site as of yet but we’re working hard to get them all up and translated! So just a little more patience. Make sure to start by reading how to whip the perfect egg whites.
A medium-sized egg weighs about 55 grams/ 1.9 oz on average. For the egg white of a medium egg, you generally count 30-35 (1-1.2 oz) grams, so about 6-7 eggs (M).
In theory, any type of sugar thermometer should work. I have a digital sugar thermometer which I am very happy with. It can be attached to the edge of the pan with a small clip and gives a signal when the temperature is only 2 degrees off the set temperature. Very handy! That way you don’t have to keep watching the thermometer all the time.
I don’t recommend making Italian meringue in advance and storing it in a bowl in the fridge for later use. The moisture in the fridge does not combine with the sugar in the meringue. Some say you can store it in a sealed piping bag in the fridge, but I don’t recommend it.
If stored, the foam will slowly but surely dry out. Once piped on the cake, you will have less trouble with this (especially if you have toasted it with a blowtorch). However, bear this in mind when storing your cake, as it is likely that the quality of your foam will deteriorate slightly after a night in the fridge.
You certainly can, as well as pavlova. However, I prefer to use my French meringue recipe (to make meringues) or my basic pavlova recipe.
Yes, you can. I have never done it with Italian meringue, but with French meringue I opt for a paste, gel or powder color. That way, you don’t add too much liquid, which can cause the frosting to fail.
Roasting (or toasting) Italian meringue is incredibly delicious and very easy to do with a simple (crème brûlée) gas burner. Italian meringue already looks a bit like marshmallow fluff because of its firm structure, and when you toast it with a blow torch it looks even more like marshmallow fluff. It’s almost like making s’mores but in a different shape and form.
You’ve most likely left some egg yolk in the bowl with the egg whites or you have not cleaned your bowl and whisk properly. Even a little bit of yolk or grease can result in the meringue not setting properly. For splitting the eggs I always use three bowls. One for breaking the egg and splitting it. One for adding the clean egg white and one for the egg yolks. If something goes wrong with the 3rd egg for instance I don’t have to start all over again but just need to replace the one egg.
Chocolate baked goods are often made with cocoa powder, but melted chocolate is also regularly used. In brownies, you can even find both chocolate as well as cocoa powder combined. Is there a reason for choosing chocolate or cocoa powder, or can you just do what you like?
I answer all your questions about baking with chocolate or cocoa powder. I will also explain the difference between Dutch processed cocoa, raw cocoa powder and natural cocoa powder.
When I say cocoa powder, I mean unsweetened cocoa powder, not chocolate milk powder. In the Netherlands this is common knowledge, but in America ‘our’ unsweetened cocoa powder is called Dutch processed cocoa powder. Because this cocoa powder is unsweetened, it still needs something sweet in the recipe to make it taste good. Try some cocoa powder and you will see that it is very bitter and not very tasty.
I use cocoa powder myself in most of my baking. It’s very simple: you replace a few tablespoons or a certain number of grams of flour in any basic recipe with cocoa powder. That way, the proportions of dry ingredients in the recipe remain almost the same and you don’t suddenly get a very dry dough or batter.
For a cake, I usually replace 20 grams (0.7 oz) of flour with 20 grams (0.7 oz) of cocoa powder, which is about 2 tablespoons. If I want an even more intense chocolate flavor, I use (and substitute) twice as much. It is worth remembering that cocoa powder gives a more intense chocolate flavor than (melted) chocolate. To achieve the same effect, you need a lot more chocolate, which in turn affects the recipe.
Personally, I find cocoa powder the easiest option when I want to give a recipe a twist. You don’t really have to think about it and the chances of a good, tasty bake are high. It can also be used in any recipe, be it a batter or a dough.
Sometimes melted chocolate is used to flavor a baked product. I myself once added a bar of melted chocolate to a vanilla cake batter. It turned out tasty, but I hadn’t really thought through the rest of the recipe, so it became a fairly compact cake and the chocolate flavor was not as intense as I had hoped. So it’s not impossible, but it does take a bit more thought to get a good result.
In other recipes it is actually better to go for melted chocolate. For example one of my favorite recipes is a simple chocolate mousse with whipped cream and chocolate. You cannot make this recipe with cocoa powder (as 1:1 replacement for the chocolate). The melted chocolate will solidify naturally which gives you the end result of a mousse-like texture. The cocoa powder would not have that effect.
Another recipe that uses only chocolate is lava cake. These are served hot straight from the oven while the chocolate is still soft. If you allow the cake to cool, the liquid centre will become harder and harder. So you cannot make these cakes with cocoa powder.
You can add melted chocolate to a batter, but not to a dough. So for a cookie dough, you really have to rely on cocoa powder.
It doesn’t happen very often, but sometimes you’ll see both chocolate and cocoa powder in a recipe. I do this myself in brownies, for example. The melted chocolate adds flavor and texture, and the addition of cocoa powder makes chocolate brownies even more intense. The combination makes brownies perfect 😉 .
So now that we got that sorted, there are still a few things to discuss. The difference between Dutch-process cocoa powder and regular cocoa powder has everything to do with the processing method and the acidity of the powder itself. Technically both cacao products are made from roasted cocoa beans. But the Dutch processed (also called alkalized cocoa) is treated with potassium carbonate during processing which results in a darker chocolate powder, smoother flavor and less acidity. The process removes most of the acidity from the cocoa powder.
The flavor is also a bit different. While regular cocoa powder has a more chocolately flavor, the dutch-processed is a bit milder and smoother due to the removal of the acidity.
Technically yes you can. But they do work different with other leavening agents like baking soda and baking powder. If you refer back to the article I wrote recently about the difference between baking soda and baking powder you will remember that baking soda needs some form of acidity to do it’s thing. So if you’re using regular cocoa powder you’re best of using baking soda. While with the Dutch version you can work best with baking powder as that already has the needed acidity.
If a recipe specifically calls for Dutch-processed cocoa powder you will need to pay attention to the rest of the recipe to see if you can substitute without issues.
If the recipe doesn’t have any leavening going on (pudding, brownies, sauce for instance) it would be safe to substitute 1 on 1 without too much risk. It becomes a different story if you want to change it in a recipe that also uses leavening agents.
If the recipe uses baking powder it would be fine to substitute as the acidity in the baking powder would react with both types of cocoa powder. If the recipe calls for baking soda swapping natural cocoa powder for Dutch processed would result in less rise. So you either have to add some baking powder or another acidic ingredient or the rise will be very different.
Also keep in mind that the flavor as well as the texture might be different.
Now the final type of cocoa powder is raw cocoa powder. This cocoa powder is reported to have lots of health benefits due to the fact that it is made from unroasted cocoa beans. While both the other types of cocoa powder are from roasted beans both raw cocoa powder as well as cacao nibs are from unroasted beans. The extraction process is also different
Raw cocoa powder has a more bitter taste and if you’re using it in baking you might have to adjust the sugar levels. Raw cocoa powder is used more in ‘healthy’ baking.
Since it is the same as regular cocoa powder in terms of acidity you can replace it 1:1 with regular but – as mentioned – you might need some added sugar.
I find raw cocoa powder works really well in savory dishes or things like smoothies.
So as you can tell there are quite a few differences between the different cocoa powder types. While substituting one for the other is not impossible it does require some thought about the rest of the recipe and some adjustments where needed.
Easy and delicious; these healthy banana oatmeal muffins are your new favorite muffins for sure! I love them as an easy breakfast or quick on the go treat. I already shared my favorite vanilla muffin recipe earlier this week and this is another favorite!
I don’t know what it is, but when I want to bake something more responsible, I often end up with recipes that include bananas. I am not at all a fan of eating bananas on their own, but I do like them in baking. This time I combined banana with oats and walnuts to make these banana oatmeal muffins.
I expected to have to make a few attempts before I had a successful version, but to my surprise they were good straight away. Really, these oatmeal muffins are delicious! And if you love banana flavor you’re gonna really love this banana oatmeal muffin recipe.
For making these I used pretty basic ingredients but I’ll give a few substitutes below. I will list the most important ingredients and possible substitutes. Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature when you start baking:
You don’t need any fancy equipment for these healthy banana muffins either. No need for a food processor although I do sometimes like to mix the bananas with a stick blender but you can absolutely just use a fork to mash them. And a few bit and pieces is delicious anyway so no need for a machine for best results.
Now to make this healthy snack it is as simple as mixing the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and using a spatula to mix the two together. Don’t overmix the batter as that will not do the muffins any good. Line the muffin pan with cupcake paper liners and scoop the muffin batter in. I like to use an ice cream scoop for ease of use but of course you can also just use two spoons or whatever else you find easy to use.
Place them in the preheated oven and bake them until golden brown and cooked through. Let them cool down on a wire rack and keep them in an airtight container or freeze them in individual portions for an easy snack. I also find they make for a perfect breakfast whenever I’m stressed for time. I take them out of the freezer to bring with me and by the time it is snack time they will be defrosted.
As I said, I don’t eat bananas on their own, but I love incorporating them into recipes. Here are a few recipes from the blog that include bananas. Both responsible and not so responsible 😉 but all really delicious.
Want to start making your own muffins? Then this easy vanilla muffins recipe will come in handy! After all, a good start is half the battle, even with a perfect base muffin recipe.
In the Netherlands, we are used to a very different kind of muffin from the original American variety, which is often firm and bread-like. Dutch muffins are light and creamy, more like cakes. This difference tends to cause confusion, as I have noticed from the questions that accompany my muffin recipes. I have written an extensive explanation on the difference between muffins and cupcakes which is probably a good start if you’re confused.
So I set about creating a good basic muffin recipe that would suit Dutch tastes, and here it is: a delicious vanilla muffin recipe. You can’t really go wrong with this recipe as it is super easy and will result in delicious fluffy muffins ever time.
And you know what the great thing about basic recipes is? Exactly, you can vary them. Read on and you’ll find a tasty list of my favorite muffins (and much more of my personal favorites coming up soon!)
As with a lot of recipes it helps if all the ingredients are at room temperature. For this basic recipe you first mix all the dry ingredients together, followed by the wet ingredients. Then just combine the two together in a large bowl. Make sure not to overmix the muffin batter. It is fine if it is not completely smooth. If you overmix the muffins will become tough and dry. Not what you want! If you follow the recipe you will have a delicious fluffy texture. Check the full recipe in the recipe card.
Once the batter is made you line a muffin pan with some cupcake liners and scoop the batter into the liners. I like to use an ice cream scoop for even distribution of the batter. Now place the muffins in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Place them on a wire rack to cool down completely before you add a topping. Now the thing about muffins is that – compared to vanilla cupcakes for instance – they don’t really need a topping to be delicious but you could absolutely add a simple vanilla glaze or something similar to the cooled muffins. Or just serve them plain with a cup of coffee. Which is in my opinion the best way to enjoy them.
Baking muffins is really my thing, I can’t deny that. I have developed dozens of muffin recipes over the years and shared them with you on (the Dutch)Laura’s Bakery and I will soon add them all here as well. Not just sweet muffins, but savory muffins too. I love them! Most of them use pretty simple ingredients making it the perfect quick to make treat.
Try some of my favorites too!
You can easily make 48 mini muffins with this recipe. You can also halve the recipe to make 24 mini muffins. You will need:
Bake the mini muffins for 12-15 minutes at 200 degrees celsius (top and bottom heat) until cooked through and golden brown.
You can also use this recipe to make jumbo muffins. You will need larger paper muffin cups to hold more batter. Otherwise, you can follow the recipe below, but you will get fewer muffins and the baking time will be longer. I haven’t tested it with jumbo muffins yet, so I can’t give an exact baking time. Be sure to let me know in the comments below this recipe if you have tried it (successfully)!
A plain muffin is already very tasty, but it becomes even tastier if you sprinkle a tasty mix on top of the muffins before you put it in the oven. You can think of many toppings, but these are my favorites:
As with the toppings, the choice of fillings is huge! Think blueberries, other red fruits, apple or pear pieces, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, cinnamon or speculoos spices, small caramel cubes, Oreo or treacle wafer pieces and so on. Or use your favorite jam to add to the muffins.
With muffin recipes, I never have to worry about fillings sinking to the bottom.
I’m sure we’ve all been there; ready to start baking a cake, pie or quick breads, only to realize that you have run out of all purpose flour or self rising flour. And of course; the recipe states exactly the type you do not have in stock!
Good news; instead of running to the grocery store (assuming it is even open at the time you want to start baking) there is an alternative solution (depending on the recipe)!
To fully understand the proces it helps if I quickly explain what the difference is between these two different types of flour.
The difference between the two is really only the added baking powder. Baking powder acts as a leavening agent so you would normally use self rising flour for recipes that require a bit of lift.
Self rising flour has the baking powder already added while all purpose flour is regular flour without it. So if you want plain flour to rise you will need to add something to it.
So naturally the type of flour you use in a recipe is important. But can a bag of self-rising flour be replaced by a bag of regular flour? That’s the question I will answer below.
The easy self-rising flour substitute is obviously regular flour with the addition of baking powder. The only thing you have to get right when substituting and making your own homemade self-rising flour is the ratio of flour to baking powder.
You can use the following ratio: 500 grams (1.1 pounds) of all purpose flour + 15 grams (0.5 oz) of baking powder.
Mix the ingredients well and you have made your own self-rising flour.
Conversely, you cannot simply replace flour with self-rising flour. This is because self-rising flour has a rising effect.
If a recipe calls for baking powder in addition to flour, you can usually replace it with self-rising flour. If the recipe does not call for baking powder to be used in addition to the flour? Then you cannot replace the flour with self rising flour. Not without messing up the recipe.
If you can substitute it, remember that self-rising flour contains 3% baking powder. So if you need 200 grams ( 7 oz) of flour with 10 grams (0.3 oz) of baking powder, remember that you’re replacing it with 200 grams (7 oz) of self-rising flour and 4 grams of baking powder (3% of 200 grams is 6 grams (0.2 oz) , so 4 grams (0.14 oz) short of the 10 grams (0.3 oz)). So you will have less of the rising agent which you could solve by adding more baking powder to make up the equation.
Do you know how to make apple crumble? This apple and cinnamon crumble is a delicious dessert served hot or cold. Add a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top of the crumble topping for a real treat! It’s the perfect fall dessert and I’ll share my recipe.
Apple crumble is a quintessentially British recipe that originated during the Second World War. Due to food shortages, ingredients for apple pie, such as flour and butter, were in short supply. As a result, a simple crumble was devised to cover a dish of apple pieces, using less dough than a pie.
The result was a blissful crumble mixture with apple pieces. I always make it into a cinnamon apple crumble by simply adding some cinnamon, which is a fantastic combination with fresh apples. You can also add sultanas or pieces of nuts. Nuts taste really good when mixed through the crumb topping.
You will find that this recipe for apple crumble with cinnamon is incredibly easy to make. That’s the great thing about it, it’s a delicious dish and really quick to make. You just need a large bowl in which you add the white sugar and the cinnamon. Mix it together and that is your apple filling done.
For the crumble topping I like to use cold butter, all purpose flour and regular sugar. I use my fingers to turn this into a crumble. When it almost comes together the crumble is ready to be added on top of the apples. The only step left is to bake it until golden brown in the oven.
Apple crumble is very tasty on its own as a dessert recipe, but it can be made even better if you serve it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a topping of whipped cream. You could also add a scoop of Greek yogurt or a drizzle of caramel sauce. It is really one of my favorite dessert recipes.
Originally, crumble is made with apples, but of course there are many other possibilities. In fact, you can use any kind of fruit or combine different fruits!
This easy apple crumble recipe can be turned into any kind of fruit crumble you like. Choose whatever fruits are in season and you can make yourself a different crumble every weekend!
To give you some examples of what can be done with different fruits, I have listed two of my favorite crumble recipes (and more to come soon!):
Personally, I make the apple crumble most often, but I love it with other fruits too. Which fruit crumble recipe do you use?
I prefer to use firm, sweet and sour hand apples rather than sweet apples, basically like apple pie. I prefer granny smith apples, pink lady, honeycrisp apples or choose your favorite apple. There is no right or wrong here. If you prefer sweet apples or tart apples? Go for it. Just make sure to double check the amount of sugar you use as tart apples might need just a bit more.
I rarely use the same baking tin twice to make a crumble. You can use a large baking dish, a round baking dish, a couple of smaller ones or whatever you feel is most appropriate. It doesn’t really matter as long as the tin or dish is oven proof.
Yes, you can! That way you can give everyone their own portion. It’s the perfect dessert for that purpose. The oven dishes or ramekins should be about 8 or 9 cm (3.5 inch) in diameter. The baking time will be slightly shorter if you use small ramekins. Reduce the baking time to 20 minutes if the oven temperature is the same.
If you have any crumble left over, you can store it in the fridge. This may make the topping less crispy. You can reheat the crumble in a pre-heated oven at 180°C/350˚F (conventional oven) for about 10 minutes. This will make it nice and crispy and warm again! Was your crumble already quite brown on top? Cover it with aluminum foil when you’re reheating it in the oven.
Yes, you can! It is delicious both cold, at room temperature and hot. Personally, I always warm it up in the oven, but just like apple pie, this crumble is delicious cold (with a dollop of whipped cream)!
You can make the dough and the apple mixture separately and bake them in the evening or the next day. The crumbly topping is best kept in the fridge on a sheet of baking paper, covered with foil. However, I would add some lemon juice to the apple mixture and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container (this will prevent the apples from browning). I prefer to make the apple crumble ahead of time and reheat it in the oven in the evening, which is just as good and the best way if you ask me. Definitely one of my favorite apple desserts!
A few weeks ago I told you how to make your own vanilla extract and that was such an easy recipe! Making your own homemade vanilla sugar is almost easier than that! No complicated things to do, it’s more a good tip than anything else. Personally I never buy the store-bought vanilla-infused sugar from the grocery store anymore. Making it yourself is so much tastier! And you need only two ingredients for making it. Regular sugar and whole vanilla beans.
I love being able to see the little specks of vanilla in a product. It’s a good sign that real vanilla has been used for making it. I’ll let you know how I make my own vanilla sugar and will give some tips on how to make the most out of those expensive vanilla bean pods. It also makes for a great gift.
To start with the basics. Vanilla sugar or vanilla bean sugar is sugar mixed with vanilla. I guess the name explains it all! Pretty simple ingredients and takes no time at all to make. You can use it as a sweetener in baked goods or desserts. It’s one of my favorite flavor enhancers!
You can make vanilla sugar in two different ways. The first one involves the whole pod and the second one is made with pure vanilla extract. I’ll explain both below.
The first method involves using fresh vanilla beans and granulated plain sugar. Slice the whole pods open lengthwise with a sharp knife. You scrape the vanilla seeds out of the beans and the empty vanilla pods are also used in the sugar. The seeds are mixed with the white sugar.
It helps to rub it between your fingers to prevent a clump of vanilla forming. I usually place it in a glass jar. I add half of the sugar, stick the empty pods inside the sugar and add the rest of the sugar on top. You close the lid of the jar and put it away for 1-2 weeks. The longer you let it stand the better the vanilla taste will be.
If the sugar is almost finished you can refill the jar with fresh sugar. The vanilla will continue to release flavor of vanilla into the sugar but you won’t be able to do this endlessly. At some point you will need to remove the empty vanilla bean pod and replace it with a fresh one.
You can also use pods that you used for something else as well and stick the empty ones in the glass jar. That way it keeps fresh and delicious. Once the ‘old’ vanilla pods are no longer giving of their flavor you can grind them in a coffee grinder or food processor and add the fine powder to the sugar again. That’s a great way to re-use them again.
You can also mix some vanilla extract (about a teaspoon of vanilla extract to 1 cup of sugar) with the sugar and let it dry. If it forms clumps due to the high moisture content you can break it up with your fingers. Once dried you can keep it in a jar.
The vanilla sugar keep “forever” and the flavor might even get deeper if you keep it longer
While white granulated sugar is the most common sugar used, you could do the same with brown sugar, coconut sugar or cane sugar. Keep in mind that these sugars have a different taste and different flavors already so the end result will definitely be different.
No you can use any kind of whole beans you have on hand. That’s the fun part because even grade B vanilla beans will get a great use in this sugar.
A glass jar, mason jars or another airtight container is best for making the vanilla sugar. Keep it in a dark place for best flavor.
On many occasions you will see mentioned in a recipe that you need to blind bake the pie crust. Blind baking essentially means that you’re pre-baking the pie crust or tart shell to prevent soggy bottoms when you add the – usually wet – filling.
Blind baking also means adding a piece of parchment paper and pie weights. In this article I will explain exactly why you should blind bake your pie shell and what kind of baking weights you can use to do this.
As I mentioned blind baking is pre- baking a crust for when you’re either having a filling that does not require to be cooked like a fruit filling or a lemon meringue pie for instance or a pie that has a relatively wet bake filling (like for instance pumpkin pie). If you would not blind bake, the bottom of the crust would become quite soggy and could also remain raw.
Not really what you want in a pie dough right? A pie filling that is usually quite wet would be quiche filling for instance. Cream pies like coconut cream pie or banana cream pie are generally not baked at all so in that cause you want the bottom crust to be fully cooked.
If you’re planning on blind baking your pie crust there are a couple of steps to take. You can use either store-bought crust or make your own. The process is the same.
Now in many cases you then proceed to remove the weights and the parchment paper and you place the crust back into the oven for a second bake. It depends on the final use of your pie. Are you adding a filling that does not require any further baking? Then now is the time to brush the blind-baked crust with egg wash (this is optional) and place back in the oven until golden brown.
There are official baking beans you can buy but they are fairly expensive, although you can use them many times. A lot cheaper and easier option is to use one of the following:
Keep in mind that once you’ve used the dried rice or dried beans you cannot eat them afterwards. But you cán re-use them time and time again for blind baking. Just let them cool to room temperature and place them in a jar for the next time you need something to cover the bottom of the pie crust.
You can use another mould that is slightly smaller than your pie pan. For instance a springform pan or a glass pie dish. Place the plan inside the pie plate and follow the recipe for the timing. Basically you could use any weight that is able to withstand the heat of the oven. That is the main deciding factor. You could even use regular marbles, but make sure to wash them properly before using.
Assuming it is a raw dough than yes you will need to blind bake that as well. Same as the homemade pie crust.
Short crust pastry, puff pastry, pie dough and store bought pie crust can all be blind baked.
It depends on the recipe so always follow the guidelines on the baking time described there, but in general the following rules apply:
Blind baking is one of the things that helps to prevent a soggy bottom. Using egg wash also creates a barrier between the dough and the filling, so that helps as well.
If you fill your crust with, for example, pastry cream after baking, you could brush the crust with melted chocolate too.
Nothing more annoying than a dough that shrinks in the form which also means the filling will spill over in the oven. Using a baking sheet to place the pie on is always a good idea but it’s better to prevent dough shrinking in the first place (but: it always shrinks a little, that is just normal).
Chilling the dough is an important step, but also not stretching the dough too much when you place it in the pie pan. Don’t excessively use the rolling pin either.
When using weights distribute them evenly over the crust too.
These Ferrero Rocher cupcakes will steal the show, that’s for sure. Not only that, they are delicious too. Not surprising, as I love chocolate cupcakes on their own, but add a chocolate buttercream and Ferrero Rocher chocolates and they literally take my breath away. It’s just the perfect match. I am very curious to hear what you think.
I would like to add that these cupcakes are a big bite and not light by any means. There is a Ferrero Rocher hidden in the center of each cupcake cupcake, and of course, as you can see, there is one on top of the buttercream for decoration. Delicious, but something to keep in mind if you are planning to make other tasty snacks.
The basis of this cupcake recipe is a chocolate cupcake batter and you will need the following ingredients to make them. In addition you will also need cupcake liners, a piping bag and a muffin pan to place the cupcakes in. Also keep in mind that it helps to have all ingredients at room temperature before starting.
And for the Nutella buttercream you also need Nutella and extra cocoa powder. For making the Nutella frosting I used this basic buttercream recipe.
The process for making the Ferrero Rocher cupcakes starts with creaming the butter and the sugar until light and airy. You can do this the easiest way in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Or use a large bowl with a hand mixer. Takes a little more effort but totally do-able.
Once the butter and sugar mixture is creamy you add the vanilla extract and the eggs one by one. Make sure that the first egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one! Lastly you add the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt and mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet ingredients and you have a smooth batter.
Now divide the batter over the 8 cupcake liners (placed in the cupcake tin) and place a Ferrero Rocher candy in all cupcake cases. Just press one in the center of the cupcake and cover with a little bit of batter on top. You can make a small hole with a small spoon before doing so but the batter should fold around the Ferrero Rocher chocolate easily.
Bake the Ferrero Rocher cupcakes in the oven in about 18 minutes. Once golden brown and cooked through let them rest in the tin for a little bit before taking them out of the muffin tray and letting them cool completely on a cooling rack.
While the cupcakes are cooling down you can make your Nutella buttercream. Once the cupcakes are cooled completely you can make a lovely swirl on top of each cupcake and place an extra Ferrero Rocher chocolate on top of the cupcake. The perfect cupcakes for all special occasions. For an extra festive look you can add some gold sprinkles as well.
If you don’t want to add another Ferrero Rocher to the cupcake you can add some chopped chocolate instead. They also taste good with just a bit of chocolate ganache or whipped heavy cream.
Undecorated cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container. Keep in mind that you should keep it outside of the fridge. Placing them in the fridge will result in dry cupcakes.
Making your own homemade vanilla extract is incredibly easy to do and will save you a lot of money too in the process. The only thing you need is whole vanilla beans, a bottle of vodka and some patience. Oh and a dark place would be handy to have too.
You’ve probably noticed that the price of vanilla is incredibly high these days. Not only have vanilla beans gone up in price, but so have all vanilla products. This is due to several poor vanilla harvests combined with huge demand.
To give you an example, in November 2017, I bought a 118ml bottle of vanilla extract for 14.90 euros. Less than two weeks later, you paid almost €10 more for it.
Currently, the cheapest vanilla extract is the one you make yourself. You make a bigger investment at the beginning, but you get a lot for your money. Besides, making your own vanilla extract is not difficult at all, you only need 2 ingredients. And some patience. Let me show you how to make your own DIY vanilla extract!
As mentioned making your own homemade vanilla extract is very simple. Apart from the vanilla pods you need a glass jar or mason jars will work as well. Alternatively you can also use the vodka bottle itself.
Per 100 ml of vodka (3.3 fluid ounces of alcohol) you will need roughly 1.5 whole beans. If you have bought the vanilla beans in the grocery store the quality is likely not the best. In that case it wouldn’t hurt to add a few more vanilla beans in.
If you can get your hands on madagascar vanilla beans, tahitian vanilla beans or another great source of the vanilla it will have an impact on how your vanilla extract will taste. But whatever the case it will always be better than most store-bought vanilla extract! (and cheaper too!)
You also need a sharp knife to cut the fresh vanilla beans lengthwise. Place in a clean clear bottle and add the vodka until just under the rim of the bottle. Add a tight-fitting lid
And now the hardest part of this recipe is to wait. You need approximately 1-2 months before the vanilla is ready. Give the bottles a good shake every few days or so and you will see how it darkens each time.
Yes you can use different kinds of alcohol. Vodka is popular because it is neutral in flavor, but you can also use bourbon or rum to make the vanilla extract. That will give you a range of different flavors. Of course some of these will be expensive alcohol so the question is how much do you want to spend on the alcohol.
Well the vanilla extract will keep for years! Store it in a cool dark place preferably and avoid direct sunlight. That is also a good reason to use smaller bottles as you can keep the unused ones sealed tight.
If you shake the bottles once every few days you should be good. The shaking is helping the flavor to seep into the alcohol.
You should keep them in at least 1-2 months but longer is no problem at all. You will see how dark it gets and that is a good indicator to know when the extract has the best flavor.
Baking and using a type of cream pretty much go hand in hand. There are the types where the word cream is literally in the name, but there are also different types of cream where it is not immediately obvious that it is a cream.
And then you have the difference between the names used in different countries and different types of creams mentioned in foreign recipes. It’s no surprise that a lot of people get confused and we’re often asked what the difference is and what can be substituted for what. To shed some light on the cream situation I will explain it in this article. Where possible I will also give the Dutch name for the cream.
Perhaps the most helpful place to start is by explaining what cream is. Cream is a dairy product made from cow’s milk. When the whole milk sits for a while, a layer of fat rises to the top, you skim it off and that’s how you get cream. Nowadays there are many other ways of making all kinds of cream, but to be officially allowed to call a product cream it has to contain at least 10% fat.
Below I will discuss all types of cream. To distinguish between them, I have divided them into the well-known (Dutch) types of cream and the lesser known types of cream.
Officially, pastry cream is not a real type of cream, but since it contains the word cream, I will discuss it briefly. Pastry cream is similar to custard and is made from sugar, egg yolks and milk. So there is no cream in it at all. Besides, you have to make it yourself and you won’t find it in the fridge section of your supermarket. Want to know how to make it? Check the recipe for pastry cream here.
Crème fraîche is a type of cream with a fat content of 30%. This makes it a real cream. It is often firm and thick, but after stirring for a while it becomes more liquid. Crème fraîche can be used in both hot and cold dishes. For cold preparations, you can replace crème fraîche with sour cream.
Cooking cream is actually a light version of heavy cream. It is basically the same product, but with less fat. This means you can’t whip it until it gets stiff. It is usually used to add a creamy taste or texture to sauces or soups, but you can achieve the same effect with unwhipped heavy cream or crème fraîche.
Cooking cream usually has a fat content of 20%. In the Netherlands this is called cooking cream (kookroom) but it might also be called single cream.
Mascarpone is not actually a type of cream, but an Italian cheese made from cream. It is therefore similar in consistency to cream cheese and is used in much the same way. It has a fat content of around 40% and can be used to make delicious tiramisu or mascarpone cream. It’s also quite easy to make yourself and I’ll be sharing a recipe for that later.
Cream cheese, like mascarpone, is a type of cheese. Made from cream, the name says it all. It can only be called cream cheese if it meets a number of requirements, one of which is that it is made from cream.
This is why cheaper but similar products are often called dairy spread or soft cheese rather than cream cheese. Want to make a cream cheese topping? Make sure you use a product that mentions cream cheese on the label.
Whipping cream is cream as it should be. It has a fat content of 35% and is actually the cream that is skimmed of the top of the milk. Unlike cream with a lower fat content, whipped cream is easy to whip (due to the higher fat content).
Want to make whipped cream that doesn’t deflate? Whip some mascarpone first and then add the whipping cream and sugar. Whip this into stiff peaks. That way the end result will hold much better.
Sour cream is known in the Netherlands both by it’s English name and by the Dutch name. On the shelves you will usually find it as sour cream. It has an incredibly low fat content of just 10%, so it can only just call barely call itself cream.
It is actually the light sister (or brother) of crème fraîche, and you can easily substitute them. It is often advised not to heat sour cream, but I have never had any problems with it.
With foreign I mean the types of cream that aren’t (easily) available in The Netherlands. So it might not be foreign to you.
Clotted cream comes from England. It is an incredibly thick cream with a fat content of about 64%. Clotted cream is rarely used in cooking or baking, but it is used as a garnish. Think of scones with clotted cream.
Clotted cream is a little less known here in the Netherlands but it is becoming more common and it’s a bit easier to find in some stores during the holidays. Depending on where you live it might be easy or not so easy to find.
You can make it yourself, real clotted cream is made in the oven and is a pretty labor intensive job (I tried it once and will share my recipe and experience soon!), but there is also a quick version that comes close to the original. I will share how to make that soon too!
Another British product is double cream. It is an incredibly fatty whipping cream that stiffens incredibly well. It has a fat content of around 48% and is therefore much thicker than Dutch whipping cream or slagroom.
Always check how it is used in a recipe to see how best to replace it. If it’s to be used in a recipe, you can use normal whipping cream, but it won’t be the same. If it needs to be whipped until stiff, use the mascarpone and whipping cream trick from above.
Heavy cream is the American equivalent of double cream, but with less fat. Are you still with me? It is lighter than double cream, but in most cases thicker than Dutch 35% whipping cream.
Heavy cream has a fat content of between 36% and 40%. This makes it much closer to Dutch whipping cream, and you can basically always substitute heavy cream for whipping cream. The difference in fat content is minimal.
And there you have it; the entire list of cream types you can find in the grocery stores. Which ones you can find is depending on where you live and whatever the retail stores buy but with the above list you should be able to replace whatever is mentioned in a recipe with another type. Taking the above considerations into account.
