Making these butter cookies is an activity we love to do on rainy Sundays.
My kids have real fun making shapes with the dough as if it was plasticine. They may be entertained the whole afternoon!
Stars. Triangles. Cats. Circles. Etc...
First I make the dough, and then they flatten it and make the figures with the help of cookie cutters. Once the dough is ready, we repeat the same process with the fondant that we will then stick on the cookie that has the same shape.
Oh, and the best part of all! We eat them and give them as gifts to family and friends.
How to Make Decorated Butter Cookies
1. Heat 250 grams of butter in the microwave for 45 seconds. Be careful not to burn it, we just want to soften it.
2. In a separate bowl, add 400 grams of baking flour and 125 grams of icing sugar. Mix until combined.
3. Now make a hole in the middle of the flour and pour in the softened butter and one egg.
4. Start stirring with a fork to mix the ingredients and when you see that it is more difficult to stir, use your hands, it is a lot of fun. Knead the dough until well integrated.
5. Roll a ball with the dough, wrap it in cling film and put it to chill in the freezer for 10 minutes. We do this to harden the dough a little so we can work it better.
6. Once chilled, take it out of the freezer and place it on a parchment paper. With the help of a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/5 inch thick.
Now it’s time to use your favorite cookie cutters!
7. Preheat the oven to 360º F (180º C).
8. Line up a baking sheet with parchment paper and place on top the figures you have made with the cookie cutters. Tip: With the leftover dough, roll it back into a ball and knead again to cut more dough until there is no more left.
9. Bake for 10 minutes or until they are golden brown. Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
10. Roll out the fondant with the help of a rolling pin to 1/8 inch thick. Use the same cookie cutters you have used before and, with the help of a brush and a small glass of water, moisten a little the fondant before sticking it to the cookie. Repeat this process with all your cookies. Et voilà! You have just made amazing decorated butter cookies!
Decorated Butter Cookies Recipe
These butter cookies are not only delicious, but they are also a creative and collaborative activity for my kids. They have fun making them while helping me in the kitchen.
In a separate bowl, add baking flour and icing sugar. Mix until combined.
Make a hole in the middle of the flour and pour in the softened butter and one egg.
Stir and then knead the dough until well integrated.
Roll a ball with the dough, wrap it in cling film and put it to chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Once chilled, roll the dough out to 1/5 inch thick.
Preheat the oven to 360º F (180º C).
Line up a baking sheet with parchment paper and place on top the figures you have made with the cookie cutters.
Bake for 10 minutes or until they are golden brown. Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
Roll out the fondant with the help of a rolling pin to 1/8 inch thick. Use the same cookie cutters you have used before and, with the help of a brush and a small glass of water, moisten a little the fondant before sticking it to the cookie. Repeat this process with all your cookies. Et voilà! You have just made amazing decorated butter cookies!
This is a basic crepe recipe that I learned in my school years, therefore, not long ago 😉
These crepes can be served as either breakfast, dessert or snack. In my case, I make them to sweeten the afternoons I spend at home with my children 🙂
To make these treats perfectly, you will need a bit of practice. I remember the first crepes I made in my life didn’t come out well; as result, I promised myself, by then, that I would end up making incredibly good crepes. Therefore, according to my children, I have succeeded! With patience and practice you will get them just right.
That’s why I want to share with you this basic step-by-step recipe for crepes so that these delicacies turn out just as well.
Eating Crepes with Nutella in Nature
This summer 2021 I had the good fortune to visit my friend Pati in Cantabria.
North of Spain is known for its incredible landscapes and wonderful beaches; nonetheless, not always days are sunny there. This time I was very lucky to get sunny days, something unsual in this region.
One of the beaches I visited was the Langre beach. The sights there are beautiful since you see a huge cliff surrounding the beach; however, to get to the beach you need to go down stairs. Before going down, I saw a small roullote on a esplanade, inside which there was a couple selling… guess what? Yes, that’s right, they were selling crepes. What kind of utopia was that? Eating crepes with Nutella in nature? Not even in the best of my dreams.
A wooden table and seats made from tree trunks. Coffee. Nutella crepes. The sea. The mountain. That’s all I needed.
Easy Crepes Recipe
You’ll love this easy crepe recipe. Also, learning how to make crepes is not difficult, although it does take a bit of practice at first. Although the couple from the roullote used an electric crepe maker, the result using a frying pan will be almost the same.
Once you know how to make this easy crepes recipe, you will be able to make sweet and savory crepe dishes.
How to Make Crepes
In a hand blender bowl/jar, add 1 egg, 1 cup of full-cream milk, 1 cup of flour, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sunflower oil. Beat with an electric hand blender until there are no lumps.
In a 9.5 inch frying pan, add a small knob of unsalted butter over medium-high heat (level 7 on glass-ceramic ). When butter is melted, spread the butter well over the pan with paper towel.
Pour batter with the help of a ladle into the pan and slightly tilt and turn the pan so that the mixture is evenly distributed.
Without touching the batter, let it cook for about 1 minute. When you see that the crepe is golden brown, lift the edge a little with a skimmer spoon and turn it over. Wait a few seconds until the other side is also done. When it is ready, remove it from the heat and start again with another crepe.
Once you have the crepe out of the pan, it’s time to put whatever you like on it: Nutella, dulce de leche or sugar and lemon. The way I add Nutella is to spread it on half of the crepe and fold it twice. Optionally, you can decorate the crepe with chocolate syrup.
Add all the ingredients in a hand blender bowl. Beat with an electric hand blender until there are no lumps.
In a 9.5 inch frying pan, add a small knob of unsalted butter over medium-high heat. When butter is melted, spread the butter well over the pan with paper towel.
Pour a little of the batter into the pan and slightly tilt and turn the pan so that the batter is evenly distributed.
Let it cook for about 1 minute. When you see your crepe is golden brown, turn it over with the help of a skimmer spoon or spatula. Wait until the other side is also done and then remove it out of the pan. Start again the process.
This easy Italian tiramisu recipe will awaken all your senses!
Tiramisu Origin
A legend states that the tiramisu was invented at the end of the 17th century in Siena. Back then, some pastry chefs in the region decided to prepare a delicacy made of simple ingredients to celebrate the arrival of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo de Medici.
At the time, this dessert was called “La Zuppa del Duca” or “Soup of the Duke” in honor of Cosimo, who was conquered by the taste of this delicacy. As soon as he tried it, he decided to take the tiramisu recipe with him to Florence. It didn’t take long for this dessert to spread throughout the rest of Italy and become the favorite sweet treat of the nobles of the time.
Tiramisu Meaning
The word tiramisu, in Italian tiramisù, comes from the Veneto dialect tiramesù and means “bring me up” or “cheer me up”. Hence, there is another more recent version that claims the original tiramisu was invented in the 1950s in a restaurant called Toulà, in Treviso. This restaurant was located near brothels, where this dessert was very successful among customers due to its aphrodisiac connotations.
At that time, the authentic italian tiramisu recipe was made only with five simple ingredients: eggs, sugar, Savoiardi lady fingers, black coffee and cocoa powder. The mascarpone was added later to the recipe.
It was in 1968, after the banning of brothels, that Alfredo Beltrame, master of Venetian gastronomy and founder of the Toulà restaurants, included this treat on his restaurants menu to the delight of all his diners and the whole world.
How to Make Tiramisu
Do you want to learn how to make this authentic Italian tiramisu recipe? Get on board!
The origin of tiramisu is uncertain, but what is certain is that this classic tiramisu recipe is from Andrea, an Italian who has been living in Spain for a long time and has been very kind to share his easy tiramisu recipe with us.
You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make this tiramisu! That’s how incredible it is, you just need to follow the steps of this recipe. As a result, your guests will enjoy a spoonful of creaminess with aromas of coffee and cocoa melting in their mouth.
Easy Italian Tiramisu Recipe: Step by Step
1. Prepare two cups of long black coffee. Set aside and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Cream
2. Separate 4 egg yolks from 4 egg whites in two different bowls. It is preferable that the eggs are at room temperature. If you want to give more consistency to the tiramisu and less creaminess you can use less egg whites.
3. Beat the egg yolks with an electric hand mixer and add 6 tablespoons of icing sugar. Keep beating until pale yellow and the sugar has dissolved.
4. Clean the beaters. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; you´ll know they are stiff when you turn the bowl upside down and meringue doesn´t fall out. Then, add in 6 tablespoons of icing sugar little by little to the meringue and keep whisking until it has dissolved.
In one bowl you have the beaten egg yolks and in another bowl you have the meringue.
5. Add 500 grams of mascarpone cheese into the egg yolk mixture. Mascarpone must be at room temperature. Whisk with the hand held mixer on low speed until well integrated, and mascarpone lumps have disappeared.
6. In batches, fold the meringue into the mascarpone cream mixture with a spatula. Mix both mixtures with slow folding movements, a bottom-to-top and top-to-bottom motion, until combined. Then, pour in a tablespoon of rum and keep making folding movements from bottom to top until integrated.
Lady Fingers Base
7. Now dip the lady fingers in the cold coffee for about 4/5 seconds each. If your Savoiardi biscuits are not sweetened, I recommend you adding a spoonful of sugar beforehand in the coffee. Once the biscuits are soaked in coffee, place them in a 8×12 pan or Pyrex dish. It´s ok if you cut some biscuits to fill the gaps of the base.
Tiramisu Assembly
8. Once you have created the base, it´s time to pour the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers base and spread it evenly with the spatula.
9. Store the tiramisu in the fridge covered with cling film and leave it overnight.
10. Sift cocoa powder on top of the tiramisu before serving. Add a heaping tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to the strainer, and gently tap the side repeatedly until all of the cocoa powder has passed through the strainer. Et voilà.. you have a delicious tiramisu ready to conquer palates!
This authentic Italian tiramisu recipe will conquer the palates of your family and friends. It is a traditional dessert made of simple ingredients, such as eggs, sugar, mascarpone, Savoiardi biscuits, long black coffee and cocoa powder.
Prepare two cups of long black coffee and pour it into a deep dish. Set aside.
Cream
Separate four egg yolks from four egg whites in two different bowls.
Beat the egg yolks with a hand held mixer and add 6 tablespoons of icing sugar. Keep beating until the mixture gets foamy, pale yellow and the sugar has dissolved.
Wash the wire beaters thoroughly and beat the egg whites until stiff. Once they are stiff, add in 6 tablespoons of icing sugar little by little while whisking.
Add the mascarpone cheese to the egg yolks. Whisk with the hand held mixer on low speed.
Fold the meringue into the yolk mixture. Then, pour in a tablespoon of rum and keep making folding movements from bottom to top until inegrated.
Lady Fingers Base
Dip the Savoiardi biscuits in the cold coffee for about 4/5 seconds and place them in a Pyrex baking dish.
Tiramisu Assembly
Once the base is created, pour the cream and spread it evenly with the spatula.
Store it in the fridge covered with cling film and leave it overnight.
Sift cocoa powder on top of the tiramisu before serving. Et voilà.. you have a delicious tiramisu ready to be tasted!
Making desserts is an art. And an example of this is this recipe for marble cake with cocoa . It is a homemade recipe destined to conquer our senses of taste and sight.
This sponge cake is fluffy on the palate and with an attractive appearance because its colours and shapes.
As an interior architect I have always loved the combination of colours, spaces and textures in each of the projects I work on. It’s the same with desserts so not only I enjoy the process of making them, but I can also eat them afterwards 🙂
Ingredients are like the colours a painter uses to create a painting. And each recipe is a palette of colours designed to create a work of art. Depending on the ingredients, and the amount you use, the desserts will take on one appearance or another.
In this case it is the cake itself that will be the artist, it will decide what shapes will be created inside it.
One of the curiosities of this sponge cake is that you don’t know what the inside will look like until you open it. It’s a surprise! Not knowing what the final result will be like also makes the experience of preparing this dessert fun.
Marble cake is a classic sponge cake, along with the yogurt sponge cake. Both are very easy to make. The only difference is that this sponge cake is made of two kind of batters, of which one is made of cocoa.
This contrast of flavours and colours is what gives it its appearance.
If you follow the steps of the recipe, you will soon have a small work of art in your home … but it will last very little time 🙂
Recipe for Marble Cake with Cocoa
Preheat the oven to 356°F ( 180°C ).
In a bowl, mix 125 grams of butter ( slightly melted and soft) with 225 grams of sugar. You can do this either with a whisk or an electric hand mixer.
Once the butter and sugar are well integrated, add 3 egg yolks and stir with a whisk until everything is well integrated.
Add 200 ml. of milk and continue stirring with the whisk.
Now gradually add 250 grams of flour and a teaspoon of baking powder. Mix everything with a whisk until there are no lumps.
In a separate bowl, beat the remaining egg whites with the electric hand mixer until stiff.
Once the egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks, add the meringue to the mixture, in batches, and combine both mixtures with a spatula with slow folding movements, a bottom-to-top and top-to-bottom motion, until well integrated.
Separate the cake batter into two bowls
In one bowl put 2/3 of the mixture and in another 1/3 of the mixture, to the latter add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and stir well.
Spread butter over all four sides and bottom of the loaf pan, then add flour all over the butter pan. Tilt and shake so the flour adheres to the butter. Spread butter over all four sides and bottom of the loaf pan, then add flour all over the pan. Tilt and shake so the flour adheres to the butter. You do this to prevent the batter from sticking to the pan when unmolding.
Pour half of white batter into the loaf pan, then add all the cocoa batter and finish by adding the rest of the white batter.
Bake for 50 minutes. I recommend you not to open the oven door during this time. When the time is up insert a cake tester (or a knife) into the center of the marble cake to check whether it is done. If the tester comes out clean … Et voilá! Your delicious and fluffy marble cake is ready!
Marble Cake Recipe
Although you follow every step of this recipe for marble cake, you don't know what the inside will look like until you open it.
In a bowl, mix butter ( slightly melted ) with sugar.
Once the butter and sugar are well integrated, add egg yolks and stir with a whisk until everything is well integrated.
Add milk and continue stirring with the whisk.
Gradually add dry ingredients: flour and baking powder. Mix everything with a whisk until there are no lumps.
In a separate bowl, beat the remaining egg whites until stiff.
In batches, add the meringue to the mixture and combine with a spatula with slow folding movements until well integrated.
Separate the cake batter into two bowls
In one bowl put 2/3 of the mixture and in another 1/3 of the mixture, to the latter add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and stir well.
Spread butter on the base and sides of the loaf pan, then sprinkle flour all over the pan.
Pour half of white batter into the loaf pan, then add all the cocoa batter and finish by adding the rest of the white batter.
Bake for 50 minutes. When the time is up insert a cake tester (or a knife) into the center of the marble cake to check whether it is done. If the tester comes out clean … Et voilá! Your delicious and fluffy marble cake is ready!
Mmm … I can’t explain how much I like these white chocolate oreo truffles!
On the one hand, the oreo squeaks me, on the other hand the white chocolate squeaks me eveI love this dessert as a whole! On the one hand I love oreo, on the other hand I love white chocolate even more. Imagine how it tastes all combined and even better… in the form of truffles!
Imagine the contrast of the white chocolate crust with the juiciness of the truffle.
Although the dough is a bit sticky, it is a dessert you can make with the little ones. They will love eating these truffles because don´t taste as bitter as dark chocolate truffles do.
If I were asked which truffles would I prefer for dessert, it would be a difficult answer. In my view, white chocolate and oreo cookies are a weakness ; therefore, I do think they are the PERFECT truffles. Even so, I still think that traditional chocolate truffles are delicious and ideal for desserts or coffee time.
How to Make White Chocolate Oreo Truffles
1. In a food processor or blender, add 154 grams of oreo cookies. Once the cookies are completely crushed, add in 100 grams of Philadelphia cream cheese. Mix until well combined.
2. Use the dough to form small balls with your hands, placing each one of them on the baking paper. Although the dough is sticky, this step is the one that the children like the most, it is like playing with play dough and it entertains them a lot, the only thing is that you will surely lose 2 or 3 truffles.
3. Put the truffles in the freezer for 1 hour; until they are hard and compact.
4. In a bowl, chop the white chocolate bar and melt it in the microwave at 700W for 30 seconds. Stir the chocolate and put it back in for another 30 seconds. Repeat this process until the white chocolate is completely melted. Tip: do not overdo it because the chocolate burns easily.
5. Now dip the balls in the white chocolate with the help of a toothpick. Prick the truffle and dip it in the white chocolate, let it dry on the baking paper. Optional: my children love to decorate them with coloured noodles, this is the moment when they get creative.
6. Once you have coated all the truffles, put them in the refrigerator to harden. Et voilà! You have made delicious white chocolate oreo truffles!
If you love oreo as much as I do, you can try making this delicious oreo milkshake with your little helpers.
White Chocolate Oreo Truffles Recipe
These delicious white chocolate oreo cookie truffles will conquer the palate of both young and adults.
Anyone can make this no bake chocolate cake, you don’t need any special method or equipment. Ever since I make my kids this treat, I add cookies soaked in milk to the recipe so it has less chocolaty-ness hit. What a fabulous combination! This cake reminds me the Spanish birthday cake with the creaminess and smoothness of a mousse.
I love it when my kids get chocolate stains!
I couldn’t be more thrilled to see my children, the biggest critics of my desserts, enjoy with all their senses everything I prepare and cook for them.
This chocolate mousse cake melts in your mouth. Its taste and texture are suitable for both adults and children, making it a perfect cake for birthdays and family celebrations.
Cake Decoration
You can decorate this chocolatemousse cake with chocolate shavings. Also strawberries give it a touch of color and a flavor combination that tastes amazing!
Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe
1. In a bowl, whip 250 grams of heavy whipping cream with a hand held mixer for 3 minutes. Set aside.
2. Chop 250 grams of dark chocolate into small pieces, place it in a microwave-safe bowl and add in 125 grams of butter. Melt everything in the microwave at 700W for 30 seconds. Then take the bowl out, give it a stir and place it back in the microwave for another 30 seconds. Repeat this process until the chocolate is completely melted. Tip: don’t overdo it because the chocolate burns easily (and makes a tremendous smoke, which has happened to me). For this quantity it will be approximately 2 minutes and a half, but it is always better to do it little by little.
3. Let your chocolate sit at room temperature.
4. Separate 4 egg whites from yolks ; then , in a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff with the hand held mixer. Add in a pinch of salt while beating. When you hit soft peaks form, add in 125 grams of sugar little by little. You’ll know you´ve hit stiff peak stage when you have glossy peaks that stand straight and the sugar has dissolved.
5. When the buttery chocolate is at room temperature, add the egg yolks one by one, stirring each yolk until each one is integrated.
6. In batches, add the meringue to the chocolate mixture and mix with a spatula with slow folding movements, a bottom-to-top and top-to-bottom motion, so it doesn’t deflate. Then, add in the whipped cream and combine with the same folding technique until well integrated.
Assembly
7. Line 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper ; thus, later it will be easier and cleaner to unmold the cake. Dip the Maria cookies in milk and place them on the base of the mold. Fill the cake pan with the mixture and cookies, making sure you don´t leave gaps. The order is the following: cookies – mixture – cookies – mixture.
8. Once you’ve assembled the cake, put it in the fridge overnight so that it’s ready for the next day. Et voilà … You have for dessert a delicious chocolate mousse cake!
In a bowl, whip heavy whipping cream with a hand held mixer for 3 minutes. Set aside.
Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave together with the butter.
Let your chocolate sit at room temperature.
Separate egg whites from yolks; then, beat the egg whites until stiff with an electric hand mixer. Add in a pinch of salt while beating. When you hit soft peaks form, add in the sugar little by little.
Now that the buttery chocolate is at room temperature, add the egg yolks one by one, stirring each yolk until each one is integrated.
In batches, add the meringue to the chocolate mixture and mix with slow folding movements so it doesn’t deflate. Then, add in the whipped cream and combine with the same folding technique until well integrated.
Assembly
Line 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper.
Dip the Maria cookies in milk and place them on the base of the mold.
Fill the cake pan with the mixture and cookies, making sure you don´t leave gaps. The order is the following: cookies – mixture – cookies – mixture.
Once you’ve assembled the cake, put it in the fridge overnight so that it’s ready for the next day. Et voilà … You have for dessert a delicious chocolate mousse cake!
