Cream Cheese Cookies

I was about to end my love affair with cookies when I came across my mother's cookie kit which I stowed away in a trunk I have of "precious hand-me-downs" from my father, mother and grandmother. The trunk is truly a treasure trove as it has, among other things, my mother's old gold wedding sari (from 1964), my dad's model trains (he was obsessed with his train sets) and my grandmother's beautiful crocheted table linen. I decided to clean out the trunk (actually I wanted to see if there was any 'vintage' clothing I could salvage — I've been feeling the vintage vibe lately) and I came across an old, almost rusty biscuit tin tucked in a corner.

Ooooh. I was excited wondering what it could be. I squealed as soon as I opened the tin and spied the gold gleaming from underneath the lid. 

Not a necklace. Not a gold bar. It was my mum's old cookie press which I am quite sure is at least 40 years old. AMAZING. Why hadn't I looked for it earlier. I remember as a child of seven or eight, I'd watch as my mum made cookies using her press for our teatime treats. I used to badger her to let me try my hand at the press but she always kindly refused, allowing me to help fill it with the cookie dough instead. 

Wow. This find was huge. 

I abandoned my search for vintage wear, packed up the trunk and ran downstairs with the tin. My dog Mojo looked up, irritated at the noise I was making while he was trying to nap, I presume.

I told him of my plan to bake some more cookies and he seemed satisfied and went back to sleep. 

I carefully took the cookie press — the brand was Sawa Deluxe 71 — out of the tin and inspected the condition of the gadget. It hadn't been used for at least ten years, I am sure and I hoped it was still functional.

Turns out, it was more than just functional. It was in mint condition. Old is gold.

The cookie press comes in four parts: a gold metal tube that holds the dough; a screw-on ring to hold the shape-discs, the plunger and lever that push the dough out through the discs. The tube still gleamed, the discs (that come in various cut-out patterns to determine the shape of the cookies) were also perfect. I tried the lever on top that pressed the dough out through the discs and it was good to go too. Fantastic. All it needed was a good wash.

I then began my search for a suitable recipe so that I could use my press immediately. Cookie press dough needs to be a little softer so that the dough can pass through the holes in the discs.

I settled on a recipe for Cream Cheese Cookies mostly because I had about 100g of cream cheese that had been sitting in my chiller for about a month.

Using the cookie press proved to be a challenge for me ... in the beginning. The problem was my dough: it was a little too soft. After I added a couple of tablespoons of flour though, it became firmer and the problem was solved.

I also had to get into the grove of using the press. There was a "switch" just beneath the lever that could adjust the thickness of the dough that comes out. My first few attempts yielded really skinny and thin cookies. I was so frustrated. Then I decided to do some research (as the manual for the press was missing) and I went online to look for a solution which is when I discovered the "switch".

Once that was settled, I was unstoppable. So excited was I that I took out my sugar sprinkles and went crazy on my cookies.

The Cream Cheese Cookies were tasty. It is a soft cookie, so don't hope for a crunch.

Cream Cheese Cookies

225g unsalted butter, softened

100g cream cheese

1 cup Castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

1 tsp lemon zest

21/2 cup all purpose flour, sifted

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 180C. Cream the butter and cream cheese in the electric mixer (paddle attachment) until soft. Add the sugar and mix till light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and egg yolk and mix till well incorporated. Add the zest and a couple of seconds later, the sifted flour and salt. Mix on low speed till evenly combined. The dough should resemble play-dough. If it's too soft, add a couple of tablespoons flour into the dough by hand.

Get the cookie press ready. 

Screw on the rod/lever to the tube. 

Take a portion of the dough and roughly shape it into a log and fit it into the tube from the bottom of the tube. 

Choose a disc with a cut out pattern that you like and then place it on the bottom ring. Screw the ring on to the bottom of the tube. 

Place the cookie press down on a flat surface and pump the lever a few times to push the dough to the bottom of the press. You should hear a loud clicking sound as so do this. You  should be able to feel when the rod touches the dough indicating that the dough has reached the bottom and is ready to be pressed.

Have a trial run. Keeping the press flat on a baking tray (ungreased). Push the lever down once to push the dough through the disc. Lift the press straight up and you will be able to see the shaped cookie on the tray. Leave a 2cm gap between each cookie and repeat.

Bake the cookies for about 10 mins. You can decorate them with sprinkles or chopped cherries before you bake them or leave them plain. 

Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1 stick butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1½ cups flour
• 1 cup mini Reese’s Pieces (or regular if you can’t find minis)
• ½ cup milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add peanut butter, egg and vanilla and continue beating until creamy.
2. Add baking soda, salt and flour. Mix until well combined. Add chocolate chips and mix on low until chips are mixed in. Gently stir in Reese’s Pieces.
3. Using a cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Don’t overbake, they will look undercooked when you take them out. Allow them to rest on cookie sheet for about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

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Blondies (Applebees Knock-Off)

I think it's pretty apparent that I do a lot more baking than I do cooking.  And I love sweets... definitely a weakness of mine.  I sure wish I was more like my husband who rarely even craves them.  Anyway, these blond brownies are chewy goodness.  And add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top... divine.  The recipe comes from Mels Kitchen Cafe.

Blondies (Applebees Knock-Off)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoons butter
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips (I also added white chocolate chips.)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I always omit nuts.)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9X13-inch pan with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray.
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and mix well. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda and blend until combined.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and nuts over the batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Polvorones Recipe

Polvorones (Thumbprint Butter Cookies)- A Puerto Rican Favorite
 32 cookies
8oz Butter –non salted …..if you use butter with salt don’t add additional salt in this recipe
2/3 cups Sugar
½ Vanilla Bean (seeds scrapped out and used in cookies) If you don’t have vanilla bean use 1Tbsp of good vanilla extract)
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups + 2 Tbsp (if using vanilla extract) All purpose flour
Raspberry, Apricot Jam or Guava paste
Preheat oven at 350 degrees



Cream, butter and sugar using electric mixer on high. Slice vanilla bean and scrap out the seeds inside, add the seeds to the butter and sugar- or add vanilla extract. Mix until well incorporated.
Add flour and turn mixer on low until well incorporated. If you used vanilla extract add the additional 2 Tbsp of flour, if you use the vanilla bean instead don’t add the additional flour.
Grease cookie sheet with butter. Make 1 inch balls with the cookie dough and place one inch apart.
Using your thumb gently insert in the middle of each cookie and lightly make a small dent in the cookie dough, make sure not to break the bottom of the cookie. Or you can use the back of a knife to make the dent in the cookie. Add a teaspoon of jam in each hole, or a small piece of guava paste.
Place in oven and bake until lightly until edges are golden. Remove while hot from cookie sheet and transfer to cookie rack.
If you have almond extract, add a touch to cold milk and it will add a great taste when eating your cookie.

Orange Almond Fortune Cookies dipped in Chocolate

This Mother's Day make it special for mom, by making her custom made Fortune Cookies  and let her know just how special she is. It doesn't take a lot of ingredients to make these fortune cookies, nor a lot of money. Almost everyone has these ingredients in their homes. If you don't have oranges or almond extract you can add  1/2 tsp of Vanilla Extract instead. Also if mom doesn't like chocolate, you can dip these bad boys in caramel. Have fun and hope mom enjoys these cookies!

Orange Almond Fortune Cookies dipped in Chocolate

Ingredients for Fortune Cookies
2 Egg Whites, at Room Temperature
6 Tablespoons of Butter
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of shifted all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract

Procedure
Write out from 12-15 fortunes.
Pre-heat oven at 400°F.
In a clean, dry bowl, whip egg whites until stiff peaks form, place in refrigerator to be chilled.
In a separate bowl, cream butter, sugar and orange peel.
Add 1/4 cup of flour and mix well.
Add Almond extract, and the rest of shifted flour, mix well.
Turn mixer to low, and 1/3 of egg whites. When well incorporated add the rest of egg whites until the batter is smooth.
Using the top of a coffee can lid, cut a 3 inch hole diameter, use this as a stencil.
Place your coffee lid stencil on top of your greased baking sheet (if you have a baking mat there is no need to grease the baking sheet), using a small offset spatula lightly spread batter on top of stencil, remove stencil carefully so not to ruin the shape.
Make 4-6 cookies at a time, don't make too many since you have to form the cookies while their hot.
Bake approx 5 minutes or until edges become golden brown.
Remove from oven
Quickly separate cookie from pan while hot, place fortune note in the middle of cookie, fold cookie in half, take the ends of the cookie and bring together. Place cookies in cupcake, muffin pan or cup, until it cools so it can keep it's shape.

Chocolate Dip
6oz of Chocolate (use mom's favorite chocolate)
Chopped Nuts, Sprinkles or shaved Coconut

In a microwave safe bowl, add chocolates and microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds or until you see chocolate sweat, mix chocolate with a small rubber spatula, if you need to melt chocolate more, just heat 10 seconds at a time, and always mix  until all chocolate is melted.
Dip half of fortune cookie in chocolate, than dip in nuts, sprinkles or coconut. Place fortune cookie on cookie sheet lined with wax paper.
Let chocolate dry.
Place cookies in decorated tin can or Chinese to go box.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe

Cookie dough:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) brown sugar
1/4 cup (1 ounce) powdered sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups plus 1 teaspoon (13 ounces) unbleached flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1 ounce) cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a
large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar,
brown sugar and powdered sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time,
until thoroughly combined, then beat in the vanilla extract.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon,
cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

With the mixer running, slowly beat in the flour mixture just until
combined, being careful not to overmix. Remove the dough and cover
with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough until well-chilled, at
least 1 hour.

Filling:
1 cup (4 ounces) chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup (4 ounces) light brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Shortly before assembling the cookies, prepare the filling: In a
medium bowl, combine the pecans, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon,
mixing until well-combined.

Cookies and glaze:
Filling
Cookie dough
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup (4 ounces) powdered sugar, sifted
1 vanilla bean, scraped
Zest of 1/2 orange, optional
3 tablespoons milk

Flour a cutting board or work surface. Turn the dough out on to the
work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a
10-by-10-inch square.

Spread the filling gently but evenly over the dough.

Gently roll the dough into a tight log. Wrap the log in plastic
wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least one hour,
preferably overnight.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the glaze: In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk
attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, whisk together
the cream cheese and butter. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar,
then the vanilla bean and orange zest (if using). Finally, whisk in
the milk until the glaze is smooth and thick.

Grease 2 (12-cup) muffin tins. Remove the dough log from the
refrigerator and cut the log into half-inch-thick slices. Place
each slice in a greased muffin cup.

Bake the cookies until the tops are slightly browned, about 15
minutes, rotating halfway for even baking.

Remove the cookies and cool, still in the muffin tins, on a rack.
Using a fork, generously drizzle the glaze over the baked cookies
before serving.

Service : Makes 20 to 24 cookies

Chocolate Espresso Walnut Cookies Recipe

Ingredients 
1 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 cup (3 ounces) unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 extra-large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups fine-quality bittersweet (56% to 60% cacao) chips or 1/4-inch chunks
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts (about 8 ounces)